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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27351751">Bring the Storm: Kagami Appreciation Week 2020</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBrcklayer/pseuds/TheBrcklayer'>TheBrcklayer</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Miraculous Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aged-Up Character(s), Alya Césaire Appreciation, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Study, Cuddling &amp; Snuggling, Dragon Kagami Tsurugi | Ryuko, F/F, Female Friendship, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Friendship, Kagami Appreciation Week, Kissing, Lukanette, Marigami, Platonic Cuddling, Protective Kagami Tsurugi, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, and other ships too, for one</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 01:54:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>21,829</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27351751</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBrcklayer/pseuds/TheBrcklayer</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Kagami never knew why, but she always felt that little bit lighter whenever she felt the wave of energy pass through her. Maybe it was due to the magic, or maybe it was due to the one creating it.</p><p>She would bet on the latter honestly.</p><p>But she wasn’t a betting woman.</p><p>It simply wasn’t professional.</p><p>And Kagami was always a professional woman, in or out of the suit.</p><p>---</p><p>A character study of Kagami, in eight parts. Featuring fluff, love, humor, and more. In sickness and in health, Paris will always have it's dragon to protect it.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Kagami Tsurugi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>62</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Day 1: Dragon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>November 13: Dragon</p><p>You can be as metaphorical or literal as you like but ‘dragon’ can mean a lot of different things so feel free to explore anything from the fantastical and ferocious to just the raw sense of power.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A dragon was once said to live in a small pond at Shinzen'en, the imperial gardens of Kyoto, Japan.</p><p>During times of great drought, monks held ceremonies in order to coax him out of the waters, for him to rise up and bring the rains. Dragons in Asia were far wiser and far more powerful than their European contemporaries, able to shift size and control the rivers and the seas. They were like gods, and a far cry from the european ideal of a dragon, who were often greedy brutes that needed slaying.</p><p>Kagami couldn’t imagine having to slay a dragon. She could, however, imagine having to rise again, and bring the rains like that one in the old story. Like a storm she came, with a ferocity unmatched. And with lightning and wind she arrived from the skies.</p><p>Paris was in flame, a particularly hot-tempered Akuma having come forth. Hothead, he’d been ‘imaginatively’ named. He was one of those rare sorts, not really angry with any one person in particular. He’d been spurned by the world, and was flaming mad with it. Now literally.</p><p>“So what?” Chat Noir mocked dodging a fireball thrown his general direction, before spinning his staff a full 360 degrees destroying another blast of flame. It dissipated on the winds, only embers left behind. “You want to be known as the man who destroyed Paris? Is that your claim to flame?”</p><p>“Not the time, Chat!” Ladybug called as she swung in, Kagami sharing her thoughts. Was this really the time for bad jokes? Too late however, their team leader realized that Hothead was still on fire, his skull ablaze like a bad Ghost Rider knock-off. </p><p>“All, don’t get all <em> hot </em>and bothered LB!” Chat said, extending his staff and hitting Hothead square in the stomach, sending the man flying off a rooftop. He crash-landed several rooves away, raging at the embodiment of destruction. “See, we’re just bidding him firewell, that’s all! Hey, uh, dude, why don’t you give up your villainy and come quietly? That’s our final offire! Who knows, maybe the mayor will let you off lightly for the fireseeable future!”</p><p>“...really, three puns in one sentence?” Kagami asked, her voice a complete deadpan.</p><p>“I know, I’m getting good at this!” Chat preened.</p><p>Hothead roared, throwing a blast of flame at him. Chat yelped, dodging to the left and then sliding under another fireball.</p><p>“...Everyone’s a critic!” he grumbled. “Man, you’re as <em> stubburn </em> as a mule!”</p><p>“Hey, uh, maybe don’t antagonize the villain?” Ladybug asked, spinning her yoyo and deflecting the flames.</p><p>“Awwwww, but I like pissing him off!” Chat said slicing another fireball in half with his staff, somehow using it like a sword. “I like having a captive audience, who else to bounce my <em> pawsome </em>puns off of anyways?”</p><p>“...well, at least it wasn’t a fire based pun that time…” Kagami admitted appearing in a surge of lightning, socking Hothead across the jaw.</p><p>“He’s not gonna go out in a blaze of glory!” Chat added.</p><p>“...and there it is!” she said dancing around the flames before spinning in mid-air and roundhouse-kicking the villain.</p><p>She admitted it, Kagami loved the power and ferocity Longg granted her. It was very liberating really. For once, she didn’t have to adhere to her mother’s strict traditions. Once she put on the mask, and drew the sword, she became someone else. Something else. Damnit, she really shouldn’t have joined Marinette on that late-night Arrow binge. Okay, yeah, it was a crappy show, but at least she was suffering with a friend. (Honestly, Emily Bett Rickards deserved better than she got.)</p><p>“A matchestic display, Ryuko,” Ladybug said, the pun slipping past her lips before she could stop it. Blushing a beet red, she snapped: “Damn it, see what you made me do? Now you’ve got me doing it!”</p><p>Chat laughed.</p><p>“I knew you’d come around, eventually, Milady!” he crowed. “Now how about we finish this up fast? I know this guy’s got a chip on his smoulder and all, but like, I’ve got a photoshoot in five, not to mention that interview with Kidz+ to worry about…”</p><p>It’d been a few years since her, frankly disastrous, first outing as Ryuko. Things had changed, sometimes life sweeping her up like a whirlwind. She’d been through a fair bit since then, and liked to consider herself a wiser woman. If she’d known then what she did now…</p><p>Well, Kagami knew the new her wouldn’t be so dumb as to expose her own identity if she’d been offered the Miraculous several years later. She’d been reckless, impulsive. Dragons were supposed to protect those closest to them, and in outing herself, she’d put her family in grave danger.</p><p>Her mother… well, she could probably defend herself against any potential supervillain attacks, but the rest of her family…? Well, that was a different story. Most of them were businessmen, doctors and lawyers. People who didn’t expect to get caught up in the madness of a superheroine’s life, and were never prepared for it. </p><p>It’d been a harsh dose of reality when Lila Rossi came calling. Embittered, and insane after Gabriel threw her under the bus, she’d decided to take one of Kagami’s cousins hostage. They’d barely escaped alive, and like a storm, she’d come and brought the thunder down on the Italian. </p><p>Last Kagami had heard, Lila was in some federal prison somewhere in her home country. </p><p>Gabriel Agreste, now there had been a shock! He was Hawk Moth. Kagami honestly didn’t know why she was so surprised, her mother had always said there was something off about that man. And in hindsight, she should have paid more attention. In hindsight, it was obvious when Kagami thought about it. There had always been a carefully disguised madness, a desperation in the Agreste patriarch's eyes. </p><p>The father, the supervillain, and the son, the superhero. Now there was some irony for you. She’d tried to support Adrien the best she could, given nobody else seemed to give a damn. Turns out, if your partner is a supervillain, all of your contemporaries are going to distance themselves from you. Nobody wanted to be business partners with an Agreste now. </p><p>The brand had suffered, at least for a while, but slowly and surely, it rose again like a phoenix from the ashes. There was still the odd look thrown Adrien’s way, the occasional nervous glance but for the most part, all was well.</p><p>For the most part, excusing a new Hawk Moth.</p><p>Nobody knew where they’d come from, or for that matter who they might be. </p><p>It infuriated Kagami, to see all of their teenage struggles basically mean nothing with a successor claiming the powers of the Butterfly for their own.</p><p>“Do you ever stop yammering?” roared Hothead, attempting to roast Chat alive with flames like hellfire.</p><p>“Nope!” Chat said, leaping over and behind him before kicking him into a brick wall. And in she came, Kagami dodging another fireball and cleaving another in half with her blade.</p><p>“Fine, I’ll take you all on!” Hothead roared.</p><p>“Flameous last words, right?” Chat asked. </p><p>Kagami and Marinette groaned in unison.</p><p>She should have seen it, Kagami mused to herself. Of <em> course </em>Marinette was Ladybug. They had the same eyes, the same pigtails. Man, she was blind. Then again, apparently so was most of Paris.</p><p>The two cartwheeled backwards dodging eruptions of flame.</p><p>“We can barely get close to him!” Ladybug panted, before sliding under another fireball.</p><p>She was a warrior on the battlefield, a blur of motion. Most people mocked the idea of a skintight suit, but when your whole fighting style was based on motion? Being free to move was a godsend. </p><p>That being said, it was always best to have someone watching your back. As proven when Kagami pulled her out of the way of another fireball. </p><p>Kagami felt the woman press up against her, and she tried to fight back a blush. Damn it.</p><p>Of course, wearing a skintight suit had certain… disadvantages. </p><p>Or maybe it was the other way around? </p><p>Kagami didn’t honestly know. </p><p>What she did know was that they needed to finish this. Fast.</p><p>Turning into waters, she brought with her cleansing rain, and freed Paris from the fires of destruction.</p><p>“Looks like you’re all washed up,” Kagami said as she resumed her human form, liquid changing to flesh. With a triumphant smirk, she watched as Hothead’s fires tried to flicker back to life, only to fail.</p><p>“What…?” the akumatized villain asked. “What did you do? WHAT DID YOU DO?”</p><p>“I was firefighting, I thought it was obvious,” was Kagami’s only answer, kicking him square in the chin with a <b> <em>crack </em> </b>sound. The villain staggered, only to charge Kagami, latching onto her as he pulled her off the roof with him.</p><p>“RYUUKO!” Marinette cried as she saw her friend go over.</p><p>The street rushed up to greet them. Kagami knew the suits could take a beating, but she wasn’t <em> exactly </em>sure how much they honestly protected her, and she wasn’t aching to find out. Even as she fell several stories, her mind ignited with the spark of an idea. Thinking fast, she changed into wind and spirited away her captor slamming him into the side of a building.</p><p>The wall ruptured, cracks branching out from the villain like spiderwebs.</p><p>As an adult, her powers had grown and changed. No longer did she immediately transform back upon using her three elements, though she was left without a sizable advantage in combative skill.</p><p>And that meant when Hothead’s powers flared up again, she was left wide open.</p><p>Though… not for long. Diving to the left, she watched him rocket up into the skies upon jets of flame.</p><p>Well, that just wasn’t fair was it? </p><p>Taking a quick moment to recharge her kwami, she was soon joined by Marinette and Adrien, and Marinette embraced her.</p><p>“Oh, oh god, you’re alright!” Marinette said fussing over her, and checking to make sure she wasn’t injured in any way. “Don’t you ever scare me like that again, okay?”</p><p>Then there was an explosion, the trio casting a nervous glance in the direction it had come from.</p><p>“Uh, as much as I hate to break up the lovefest, maybe we should...?” Adrien asked, concerned. “Like let’s stop <em> dragon </em>our heels and get back to work. We’ve got a city to save!”</p><p>Marinette nodded weakly, before her eyes hardened. She easily slipped back into her ‘Ladybug’ persona. “Agreed!”</p><p>After recharging their kwamis, the two went into their ‘Space’ forms. Kagami was soon to follow, vested in samurai-style armor with a visor over her face.</p><p>The trio rocketed over Paris, going after Hothead. Like a meteorite, Adrien was soon next to the flaming villain, exchanging punches and kicks.</p><p>“Comet me, bro!” he punned before kicking the villain away. “No, wait, I changed my mind. You’re too hot to handle. Why don’t you get outer my space?”</p><p>Hothead tumbled over rooftops, smashing into a chimmy. </p><p>“Eh, I give him three points, maybe 4 for effort,” Kagami joked.</p><p>“I was going to give him two, actually…” Marinette added, dryly.</p><p>The two had to dodge another fireball, spinning out of the way before colliding. Their bodies briefly pressed up against each other, and if there weren’t masks over their faces? Well, you could see Marinette blushing as red as her suit.</p><p>“Maybe you should…?” Kagami stuttered.</p><p>“Oh yeah, agreed, time to end this!” Marinette said to Kagami and then she heard the cry. <em> “LUCKY CHARM!” </em><br/>
<br/>
And watched Marinette put out the villain’s fire, wielding a fire extinguisher. As Lucky Charms went, it was simple but brutally effective.</p><p>“You took your time,” Kagami said as she watched Marinette rip the akuma-concealing object -a bag- in half and free the dark butterfly inside from evil. Bravely, she said almost flirtatiously: “What, worried I was going to take your victory all by myself?”</p><p>“You don’t get to joke, not today,” Marinette said, her eyes a little watery. “We nearly lost you!”</p><p>“But you didn’t,” Kagami said. “I managed to save myself, and I probably would have dealt with the akumatized object as well.”</p><p>“Are you sure about that?” Marinette argued. “After all, Hothead nearly…”</p><p>“Roasted me alive?” Kagami returned, watching the police lead the man away in handcuffs. She didn’t know why some people did the things they did. Some villains weren’t people who had a bad day, some just got powers that gave them the ability to carry out desires they’d previously nursed. Hothead wanted to burn down Paris, the new Hawkmoth only granted his wish. “I was handling it.”</p><p>“If you say so…” Marinette replied before looking at some of the burning rooftops. Still rattled, she mumbled: “...suppose I should…”</p><p>“Yeah, you probably should deal with that.” Kagami nodded firmly.</p><p>And then came that other familiar cry.</p><p>
  <em> “MIRACULOUS LADYBUG!” </em>
</p><p>As ever, a sea of red and black light, pure concentrated creation washed over Paris like a tidal wave. It never lost its touch, really. Kagami never knew why, but she always felt that little bit lighter whenever she felt the wave of energy pass through her. Maybe it was due to the magic, or <em> maybe </em>it was due to the one creating it.</p><p>She would bet on the latter honestly.</p><p>But she wasn’t a betting woman.</p><p>It simply wasn’t professional.</p><p>And Kagami was always a professional woman, in or out of the suit.</p><p>That being said, she’d appreciate it either way.</p><p>Chancing a kiss to the cheek that sent her heart a-flutter, she gave a rare smile. “Suppose I’ll see you at the next Akuma attack, My Lady?”</p><p>“Till the next time!” Marinette said, swinging off.</p><p>“Yes, till the next time…” Kagami breathed before thinking: <em> “Watashi no rakkīchāmu…” </em></p><p>Most dragons lived their whole lives alone, hiding in the clouds or in ponds. But then again, she wasn’t like most dragons. She was a new one, for a new age. And she would guard her hoard jealously so. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Ladybug's the property of Zagtoons, I'm not making any money off of it, so please don't sue me.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Day 2: Sweet Tooth</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>November 14: Sweet Tooth</p><p>Ice cream? Orange juice? Honey? Baked goods? Maybe some fun time baking? Maybe she’s ‘getting herself a little sugar’? It’s a buffet of options.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Kagami loved Marinette’s kisses, always tasting of fresh bakery dough and macaroons. They were soft and sweet, like her. It wasn’t really proper to fall for a girl, at least that’s not what family tradition dictated. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But then, feeling Marinette’s lips against her own, maybe just this once tradition could be ignored.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you,” Marinette whispered against her, pulling her closer on the chaise. “My precious pearl.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you too,” Kagami replied, pulling away before softly pressing her lips back against Marinette’s, taste-testing the nickname and letting it slip past her own lips. Her mother probably would have been appalled if she ever saw them right now. But then, she wasn’t actually here now was she? “Watashi no amai chīsana yūkan'na ōjo.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I’m a Princess now, am I?” Marinette murmured against her lips. “I thought I was just your ‘pan-ya no musume’ before this!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette didn’t pretend to understand a lot of Japanese, though her girlfriend had been attempting to remedy that as of late. But she understood just enough to not let Kagami’s many little nicknames slip by her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, you’ve been upgraded, Mari.” Kagami whispered under rays of soft sunlight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kagami was never greedy about stealing kisses from her love, not really. But if she stole a few more kisses from Marinette then normal today, well… was there anyone to stop her? She had a bit of a sweet tooth, after all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two continued kissing, only disrupted by the ding of Marinette’s phone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Damn it…” Marinette groaned, falling back against the pillow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Akuma alert?” Kagami asked, understanding in an instant.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yep…” her girlfriend grumbled, understandably bitter about the disruption. “Damn it, can’t Hawk Moth ever take a day off? He sucks! Bet he’s never had a taste of romance in his life!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who’d date him?” Kagami deadpanned before going a little green. “Oh god, yeah no, I just got a terrible image.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure you wish to know?” Kagami pressed. “After all, my sweet, I’d rather spare you from it!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I'm curious!” Marinette asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You were warned…” Kagami replied ominously. “But, okay! I had an image. A horrible image. Hawk Moth having sex!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, ewwwww, no. Just no,” Marinette shuddered as Kagami giggled. “For so many reasons, no. You suck! Yeah, that’s it. I’m dumping you just for that. I’m forever mentally scarred.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did warn you!” Kagami giggled, before an explosion cut her off. “Yeah, we should…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Longg, Bring the Storm!”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Tikki, Spots On!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t a particularly long battle, at least not by their standards. Honestly, it was one of Hawk Moth’s poorer akumas. Driving Instructor, he’d called himself. Upset by people never giving him the right of way and terrible driving in general.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...that… was terrible!” Ryuuko laughed as she fell back against a wall. “Like, what was Hawk Moth even thinking?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who said he was?” Ladybug asked, struggling to breath through her laughter. And that set off another wave from her girlfriend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Something tells me making Paris’ streets actually </span>
  <em>
    <span>more organized </span>
  </em>
  <span>than the norm was never what he had in mind!” Ryuuko agreed. “Like wow!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s… you know, that’s honestly what the Butterfly should be used for really…” Ladybug said sadly. “Hawk Moth certainly didn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>intend </span>
  </em>
  <span>to make a superhero, but he basically did today.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, he did,” her partner agreed. “He actually cleaned up traffic for the day, no damage even done!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They actually hadn’t even needed to fight at all. For just a few hours, they’d actually sat back and watched the villain of the day actually organize Paris’ traffic into something manageable. Eventually though, they realized it was probably better for the poor man who’d been akumatized that he should be cleansed from evil. So Kagami in a blast of dragon force gale wind had grabbed his whistle and allowed Marinette to free the akuma inside from Hawk Moth’s evil.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“One day…” Ladybug said sadly. “One day, we’ll free Nooroo and give him a proper partner, undo of the damage Hawk Moth’s done to this city. Redeem the Butterfly’s reputation, not as a creator of evil villains but a maker of heroes.”</span>
  <span></span><br/>
<span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“And I’ll be right there by your side when we do so,” Kagami said, dropping her ‘Ryuuko’ persona and falling back to normal. Pressing her girlfriend up against a wall, she gently kissed her, their suits rubbing together. “I know you can do it, I have faith in you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If anything,” Marinette said, pulling away, before gently kissing her girlfriend again, their lips gliding to each other. “Hawk Moth should be worried about </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Not me. I mean, you can drown him, shock him, and blow him away all at once.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, he really should be afraid of me,” Kagami said in an arrogant, but understandably proud tone. “Once we find his lair, it’ll be only a matter of seconds before I would be able to remove his Miraculous.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re confident.” Marinette observed, gently kissing her again, almost greedily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you doubt me?” Kagami asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, never!” Marinette said. “I’m just… observing, that’s all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I have the best partner in the world to back me up,” Kagami said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Flatterer,” Marinette giggled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s the truth,” Kagami said before pressing her lips to her girlfriend’s. In a low murmur, she spoke: “Now, weren’t we doing something before we were so rudely interrupted?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Damn Hawk Moth,” Marinette agreed, kissing her and pulling her close. Running her fingers through Kagami’s black locks, she continued kissing her. Flipping her girlfriend so now Kagami was pressed against the wall, Marinette heard her girlfriend let out another giggle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My, someone’s getting bold, aren’t they?” Kagami said to her. “I remember when you were all shy and just stuttered trying to ask me out!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You were pretty shy yourself, you know,” Marinette pointed out. “You rarely spoke to me, I thought you hated me for a while, actually…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I could never hate you, my sweet,” Kagami replied, closing the gap between them once more. Suddenly, she stopped her gentle kisses, letting out a frustrated groan. “...ugh, I just remembered. Kaa-san expects me home at a certain time, and she’s probably already getting worried.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My maman and papa as well,” Marinette agreed, pulling away. “We should really schedule a sleepover, Little Lóng.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll run it past mom, and I’m not making any promises but we should most certainly try!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Evidently, the classic Ladybug Luck did smile upon them, and through a minor miracle, both sets of parents agreed to let Marinette bring her girlfriend over in a sleepover. Just as long as nothing untowards happened, and Marinette blushed at the thought of them ‘canoodling’ as her papa put it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...I can’t believe papa thought we were going to…” Marinette mumbled, still blushing a beet red.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, considering we </span>
  <em>
    <span>are </span>
  </em>
  <span>dating, and considering we </span>
  <em>
    <span>are </span>
  </em>
  <span>two teenage girls staying at each other’s houses…” Kagami said, with a hint of suggestiveness that Marinette picked up on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kagami!” she said, gaping.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, do you </span>
  <em>
    <span>want </span>
  </em>
  <span>me to ravish you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wha… No! My papa would kill me, and we’re still too young anyways!” Marinette stammered out as Kagami laughed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re way too easy to tease, Mari-Hime,” Kagami smirked, before cuddling close to her. It was a chilly November night, and she was grateful for the warmth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was also equally grateful that their suits were insulated, as it had been bitterly cold out today and even with magic she was feeling it. She burned with an inner fire, so it wasn’t as bad as it could be, but for poor Marinette…? Ladybugs hibernate in the winter for a reason and Kagami knew her girlfriend hated this time of year.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“T-Thanks, ‘Gami…” Marinette whispered and shivered, before drawing the blanket closer around the two of them. “...God, I wish this was the one thing Master Fu could have told me about in advance. I used to love winter, especially when the snow fell outside the bakery. I’ve since changed my mind. Winter sucks. And me suddenly deciding it sucks? Well that sucks too!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, I could warm you up in a </span>
  <em>
    <span>different </span>
  </em>
  <span>way…” Kagami teased in a suggestive tone, Marinette’s jaw dropping as she shoved her away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...you’re terrible…” Marinette mumbled with a huff, crossing her arms as the Japanese girl giggled at her distress. “...didn’t know you even had it in you, really.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you’re so easy to tease…” Kagami said with a smile. “Besides, in school, I have to put up a mask. Better that way, so I won’t have to deal with anyone not worthy of my time. Gold diggers, and idiots and the like. You’ve never had to deal with them, Marinette, but when you’re as rich as me? It’s sadly commonplace.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh Kagami…” Marinette said snuggling closer to her to comfort her clearly distressed girlfriend. “...but it shouldn’t be.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“People are idiots, Mari-Hime. It’s the way of such things,” Kagami sighed. “You and Adrien and even a few of your other friends? They earned my respect, I don’t think of them as complete imbeciles anymore. Most people I know aren’t so lucky with me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Their loss really,” Marinette replied, kissing her cheek. “You’re a wonderful person. A great superheroine sure, but an even better person!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I’ve had great influences,” Kagami said, looking at her with undisguised love in her eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, stop!” Marinette flushed. “I really haven’t done anything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You should really give yourself more credit, love. You’re really far too modest,” Kagami said. “All of Paris’ heroes look towards you as an inspiration. Even me. Especially me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...but I’m a nobody, I’m just Marinette,” her girlfriend mumbled looking at the floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not what the world thinks,” Kagami said tilting her chin so that their faces met. Kissing her gently, and tasting her sweets-flavored lips -like vanilla and strawberries- Kagami then said: “More importantly, that’s not what </span>
  <em>
    <span>I </span>
  </em>
  <span>think.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two stayed there for a while, in the moonlight, kissing softly arms wrapped around each other. They probably would have stayed that way for the rest of the night till sleep claimed them, but as ever, Instagram had other ideas. Both of their phones buzzed, and shook in their pockets and Marinette pulled away from her girlfriend with a low groan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...speaking of other friends…” Marinette muttered to herself, annoyed, pulling out her phone. She soon dropped it with a low gasp.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Marinette, what is…” Kagami asked worriedly, before her eyes widened seeing the same message on her phone. “It?”</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Alya.Ladyblogger: </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>Hey, what’s going on bugheads? You gotta check this out!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Alya.Ladyblogger: </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>Forget LadyNoir, this is even better! Wow, talk about icons!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Alya.Ladyblogger: </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>Stand up and represent! </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>After these three messages was attached a photograph, apparently sent to the Ladyblog by some anonymous viewer earlier that day. And in the photograph was them, on a rooftop, kissing.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Alya.Ladyblogger: </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>Like, I can’t even deal with this right now! Atughkdhitif!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Alya.Ladyblogger: </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>So what do we even call this new ship? Dragonbug?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Kagami and Marinette shared a look, before both of them sighed in unison and chuckled. Well, the secret was out they supposed. They’d always planned on telling Paris at </span>
  <em>
    <span>some </span>
  </em>
  <span>point, but as the days wore on, they’d always kept forgetting to do so. No more hiding now though, not anymore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The messages continued on, some positive and some not so much. Of course, there were the obligatory obnoxious trolls and homophobes, but the top comments were absolutely astounding.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Alya.Ladyblogger: </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>Well, I for one intend to stand by these two! If they want to date, let them! Honestly, I’ve had my suspicions for a while now. There’s always been something about them, a sort of closeness not even Ladybug’s ever had with Chat. I guess we know why now!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Tears prickled Marinette’s eyes, as she whispered: “Oh, Alya…”</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>AdrienAgresteBrand: </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>I’m standing by @Alya.Ladyblogger as well, if Ladybug wants to date Ryuuko? Awesome. #RainbowPrideinParis</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Chat’s own account followed with something similar.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>TheCatIsBack: </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>Didn’t know my partners were dating, but wasn’t really my business. A forbidden secret romance? How exquisite! Well, I guess now that the cat’s out of the bag, I love your relationship purry much.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>MossGrowsOnARollingStone: </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>Two superheroines dating? Rock and roll!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>TheOfficialChloeBourgeois: </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>How utterly ridiculous that people think you can’t date each other. You’ve given your all to Paris, you deserve at least this much!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“...guess we’ll be making announcements tomorrow eh?” Kagami asked and Marinette choked back a laugh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know?” Marinette asked leaning in close. “That kiss on the rooftop, I don’t even think it was the best one we’ve ever done… Not by a long shot. It could use some work…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kagami grinned before closing the gap between them.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Huge thanks to theriveroflight for helping me come up with the cutesy petnames Marinette would have for Kagami, thanks much. They were a great help, you were a great help.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Day 3: Friends and Family</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>November 15: Friends &amp; Family</p><p>Kagami has a life full of people who are important to her in a number of ways each friend is a new horizon and her family traditions and legacies also make up a big part of who she is.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Bit of an odd duck really, no actual romance here. Just friendshippy things, and honestly if you look, this could actually be a prelude to Lukanette.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Kagami hadn’t had friends before all of this. She’d had acquaintances. Her mother had always been… overprotective.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Said she had to associate with the right people, even if she’d never been exactly clear on who the right people actually were. They’d always had to pass some test really, to show that they were worthy of being Kagami’s friend. Her mother, of course, never said what the test ever was. Irritably, they’d always failed it. Whatever it was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So Kagami rebelled, in small subtle ways. Made up excuses, said she was going to practice fencing or go shopping at the market. And always, there was a grain of truth to that. She fenced with Adrien, or shopping with Marinette at rue Mouffetard. Nestled in the 5th Arrondissement, between Square Saint-Médard and Place de la Contrescarpe, the little street was an apparently hidden gem and tucked away but remarkably charming, keeping a medieval feel.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>A hidden gem, apparently, that everyone knows about! Remind me never to refer to tourist guides ever again, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Kagami thought to herself sarcastically. It was far from quiet, with crowds packing themselves into the small streets. She was no stranger to things like this back in Tokyo, but that didn’t mean she had to like it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was… different compared to what Kagami had been expecting. Make no mistake, she’d been to markets back home, like Ameya Yokochō in Tokyo. But those were different, always offering fresh fish, the catches of the day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Here, it was fruit to market, organic goods instead of meat pulled from the ocean by early morning fishers. These had been grown on farms, tucked away in the French countryside and tended to with utmost care.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All around her were restaurants, bristling with food from different cultures and their owners shouting over the din, offering enticement. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You sure we shouldn’t have gone to Place Monge instead?” Marinette asked, barely audible over the din. She was knocked back and forth by the hustle and bustle of the passing crowd, at one point nearly knocked into a stall. Kagami rounded on the man who had clearly no manners, giving him a venomous glare. Watching him scurry away, she helped her friend up. “I mean, yeah, it’s a bit pricer, but it’s quieter. Less tourists. This place is chaos!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve heard of a place called Au P’tit Grec, Kaa-san was bragging about how it made the best Nutella crepe,” Kagami mused before declaring: “I simply must try it for myself!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oooooh, I’ve heard of it!” Marinette said excitedly. “Papa was saying that it nearly rivaled his own recipe!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“High praise indeed,” Kagami realized. She’d only been to the Tom &amp; Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie a few times, but what they made was always a godsend. Both of Marinette’s parents were always so warm, and kind. Sadly, Kagami had long since realized she’d never get quite the same treatment from her mother, with how detached she’d always been. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kagami knew her mother cared in… her own little ways, but sometimes it was hard to tell. There was a reason she’d gravitated towards Adrien almost instantly. She’d seen the loneliness in his eyes, asking, no </span>
  <em>
    <span>begging </span>
  </em>
  <span>for a friend. There was Nino, and -Kagami would only admit this begrudgingly- Chloe </span>
  <em>
    <span>sure</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but all the same…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Was it awkward knowing both her and Marinette were after the same guy? Yeah, and Kagami wouldn’t be so proud not to admit to see the bond Adrien and Marinette shared. And she wouldn’t be so proud not to admit she was jealous of it. But like in any competition, slow and steady always won the race. Adrien clearly needed a friend first, not a girlfriend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette didn’t seem to realize it, or maybe she did, but Kagami didn’t give up easily. She never lost. Never.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That being said, she wouldn’t treat Marinette like shit just because. Adrien wouldn’t want that, and it wasn’t like Marinette was hard to hang out with. She was so incredibly kind, and very nice to spend some time with. Like today. It helped to know someone who knew far more about Paris than her, besides!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Marinette,” Kagami complimented as they passed another stall, advertising freshly pulled grapes off the vine. “It’s… nice to visit Paris with a friend, and spend some time with you outside of school.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, uh, well, I’ve noticed we’re not really the best of friends, and I want to change that!” Marinette admitted. “By the way, I’ve been meaning to ask, what are Japanese markets like? I’m just curious, that’s all…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Much more fish, for one,” Kagami joked and Marinette giggled. “But they’re not all the catch of the day, no pun intended.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rats, I was hoping you’d meet Chat one day, and be able to bounce puns off him!” Marinette said, with a secretive little smile that made Kagami think the Chinese girl knew something she didn’t. “Something tells me you two would get along wonderfully…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In any event, there are places like the Oedo Antique market,” Kagami explained. “Mother and I have only been there a few times, but she can always tell what the best quality pieces are.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“How? She’s blind, right?” Marinette asked, surprised.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She can feel the pieces with her hands, I’ve never figured it out myself but she can always tell the best quality pieces by simply their texture. She somehow knows just how old they are by touch alone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, she’s a world-class fencing champion, so I guess that’s not so weird, I suppose!” Marinette shrugged. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That being said, bring your… A-Game, I believe is the saying?” Kagami continued, looking towards Marinette for confirmation. She nodded, and Kagami continued with: “The sellers, they have a tendency to haggle. They know you’ve got big pockets, or at least they hope you do and they will charge high. Mother, one time? She nearly reached across and stabbed some poor guy with her sword because she thought they were charging her too much!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow, that’s… uh, yeah, that’s violent,” Marinette admitted hesitantly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, it got quite ugly,” Kagami sighed. “But, alas, that’s antique dealing for you!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But, anyways. If you </span>
  <em>
    <span>must </span>
  </em>
  <span>visit one of the fish markets, and Longg forbid I sound like a brochure here, go to Tsukiji! You’re not squeamish are you, Marinette?” Kagami asked. “If so, it may not be the place for you, given you will see fish being cut up. I should also warn you, you </span>
  <em>
    <span>will </span>
  </em>
  <span>have to get up at the crack of dawn if you want to see the tuna auctions. If you’re up to the challenge.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You sound like you’re speaking from experience…” Marinette mused. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I may be,” Kagami grinned, almost cockily. “I never back down from a challenge!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eventually, the two wandered out of the marketplace, taking a bus to another little spot, tucked away in Paris in the 1st arrondissement. At first, Kagami thought they were visiting the Louvre, but to her surprise the bus just went on by it. It stopped in front of a truly inspiring building, recognizable from the rest of the street by the massive face on the side of it. Constructed from bricks, and metalwork, it seemed to look out over the arrondissement with unblinking but very much alive eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kagami may have been imagining it, but it was like there was magic in the air. She’d felt it before, actually. Every time Ladybug activated her cleansing healing waves, the very air burst with the energy of creation itself. This was similar, if more subdued in nature. Subtler. Magic, the very essence of creation, bringing life to the lifeless. She’d heard it was in other spots of the city as well, such as the little-known statue of </span>
  <em>
    <span>Le Passe-Muraille</span>
  </em>
  <span>, the man who had walked through walls until he got too cocky and got himself stuck in one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...where are we?” Kagami wondered as they entered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“59 Rivoli,” Marinette read off a card. “Nino gave me the address, actually. Said we just had to come check this place out!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dudettes!” crowed the dark-skinned boy, arms outstretched in a welcoming manner. Bringing them both in for a hug, he said. “So glad you could make it!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All around them, the walls were coated in graffiti and other various attempts at art. The building, at first glance, looked as if it had seen better days. But then, Kagami realized, that wasn’t the point of it all. No, it emphasized creative freedom and suddenly she knew why Nino wanted them to be here. It was very… him, really. Actually, Nino wasn’t alone, as looking off to her left, Kagami spotted Luka, absentmindedly strumming his guitar and letting the notes come to him. Letting them flow off his guitar like waves on a beach.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Luka?” Marinette asked, surprised but maybe not really now that she thought about it. Of course he’d be here, this place was dedicated to art and expression apparently. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ma-Ma-Marinette,” Luka teased gently, both he and Kagami watching the noirette’s face light up. Kagami knew there was </span>
  <em>
    <span>something </span>
  </em>
  <span>there, everyone did. It was really quite obvious, and if she was to be honest with herself, she hoped her friend and Luka were very happy together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No, it wasn’t so she could have Adrien to herself, so stop. Shut up.</span>
  <span></span><br/>
<span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Honestly, Kagami wondered if Marinette only saw Adrien the model, and not Adrien the person. With Luka, it was different. There was a clear connection here. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s nice to see you made it,” Luka continued. “Welcome to </span>
  <em>
    <span>my </span>
  </em>
  <span>not so secret garden of inspiration.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So what’s the story here?” Marinette pondered. “What’s with the face, and… well, everything?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She gesticulated to well everything around her, trying to find the right words. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, I got this one, dude,” Nino said, before Luka could explain. “Well, it goes like this basically. Back in the 90s, like really late 90s, Crédit Lyonnais just abandoned this place. KGB, not the secret service but a group of artists: Kalex, Gaspard, and Bruno. There were a bunch of dead pigeons -let’s not tell Mr. Ramier eh?- and syringes from druggies, but it seemed like home to them! </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They turned it into their personal playground, their garden of inspiration y’know? They were hosting exhibitions and performances under the name of “Chez Robert, électrons libres.”. Okay, technically it was all illegal, from what I heard anyways but… Eventually Paris reclaimed it, and refurbished this place, made it safer y’know?” Nino continued to explain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, I see!” Marinette said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s basically a haven for artists, musicians, metalworkers, and anyone else really,” Luka picked up the story. “Six stories, and me and maman come here every so often just to bask in what she calls perfectly organized chaos and the spirit of artistic freedom. You should come here more often, Marinette. You might get inspired!” he offered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe… Maybe I should,” Marinette admitted, sitting down next to Luka and listening to the notes flow off his guitar. “Especially if you’re here and all…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you asking me out on a date, Ma-Ma-Marinette?” Luka smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...I thought I was going to escape that nickname,” she grumbled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mother would be appalled if she saw me in a former drug den,” Kagami observed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s put more emphasis on the ‘former’ part if she finds out, okay?” Marinette soothed her, as she gently pulled Kagami down next to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All the same…” the Japanese girl admitted. She would admit, she was calmed by the free-flowing sounds of Luka’s guitar, and suddenly she understood why Marinette seemed to have a crush on the older Couffaine. There was no hurried pace to his actions, he was very calm about everything, and had the temperament of a lamb. But he was as inspired as Ladybug himself, the notes flying off the strings, soothing as they were. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The environment sung with the sounds of his music, the strings plucked like that of a shamisen telling a beautiful tale of love lost and then won again. They sang of the oceans and the stars and the rivers in between. Nino threw some spirit into the sounds, with his mixing table but Luka mostly led the way. The evening sunlight sank through the windows, red and orange light casting a mystical, almost magical glow over the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought it’s already been established that your mother is somewhat of a terrible person,” Marinette grumbled. “Like, seriously, she’s so strict!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Marinette…” Kagami sighed, and the girl facepalmed immediately trying to backpedal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, Kagami. It just… slipped out!” she said, blushing bright red with shame cast on her features.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, you’re probably quite right,” Kagami admitted “She’s always been… very restrictive. It’s disheartening for me, I admit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“..wow, what is it with the rich people in this city?” Marinette muttered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Excuse me?” Kagami asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What she means is… well, we’ve noticed a certain trend,” Luka admitted. “Adrien’s father is… well, you know what he’s like. Your mother is almost equally restrictive, and Chloe’s mother can't be bothered to even remember her own name!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow, that is a bit of a trend,” Kagami laughed bitterly. “Maybe we should form a club!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, if you ever need busting out,” Luka suggested, only half-jokingly by the tone in his voice. “I’m sure we can organize a rescue party!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The one thing Kagami had realized about Marinette’s friends, while they had their failings they were frighteningly loyal. Harm one, and the rest came rushing to their side. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks… I’d actually like that,” Kagami admitted, resting her head on Marinette’s shoulder. They stayed there for a while, just relaxing in the evening’s bathing light. “You’re a good friend Marinette. All of you are, actually.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah… friends…” Marinette mumbled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is something the matter?” Kagami inquired.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Adrien used the ‘only a good friend’ line on her once,” Nino explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ouch,” Kagami said, wincing in sympathy. She should feel triumphant, she knew, that Adrien hadn’t yet to realize how good he had it with Marinette. But instead, she only felt sympathy for the poor girl. “Yeah, uh… that’s rough. My apologies, I’m not good with feelings. I’ll work on it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe someday…” Marinette mused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If he hasn’t realized what he’s got, he’s an idiot,” Kagami said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To be fair, his father…” Marinette sighed. “I’m not sure he’s ever been able to work out his feelings towards anyone properly, not with him around. I used to idolize Gabriel, you know. That was till I found out what a piece of crap he was, anyways!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All the same… I do feel sorry for you Marinette.” Kagami sympathized. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Eh,” Marinette sighed, sounding way too at ease with this, her eyes telling a different story. “Even if Adrien doesn’t like me in ‘that’ way, I’m happy with being his friend. That’s what he needs right now, not a girlfriend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Again, Kagami was forced to reevaluate her opinions on Marinette. She thought, however wrongly, that Marinette only saw the model. Not the boy. Apparently, that wasn’t the case.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s very mature of you Marinette,” Luka praised. “I’m proud of you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All the same though,” Kagami praised. “You are a very good friend. Feel proud of yourself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eventually though, all good things must come to an end. They had to get home, promising to meet up at school the next day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kagami approached Francois-Dupont with new emotions, new feelings. She had </span>
  <em>
    <span>actual </span>
  </em>
  <span>friends now, people she could rely on. Yeah, they were quirky, and had a bunch of issues but she wouldn’t have them any other way. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She regretted being so cold to Marinette at the beginning. The poor girl was smitten with Adrien, was it really her fault? And once you got to know her, she was nice. Not really worthy of scorn. Kagami realized she’d actually brought shame upon herself, and her family for treating the Chinese girl so badly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All the same, there were a few mysteries about her. She seemed to crackle with magic, her and Luka now that she thought about it. Apparently, she’d been Multimouse, once and only once before she’d accidentally exposed her identity. So that might have explained it, and as for Luka? He seemed to be magic of a different sort, in tune with the whims of the world and the natural vibrations of everyone around him. At least… that’s what Kagami figured, from Luka’s ability with the guitar. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She knew magic existed in the world, first-hand actually. Japan had its own magic, and was it really so hard to believe that Paris’ own citizens drew upon magic somehow? Especially nowadays…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The curtain had been drawn back, and the ways of the old world exposed. She’d have to keep an eye on Marinette, there was something about her that naggled at her still. Even if Kagami didn’t exactly know what.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’d hoped the day would be peaceful, actually. But, as ever, in Paris? Evil never took a rest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>An Akumatized villain, apparently scorned by a bad test score now was changing everyone’s grades so that they’d fail alongside her. Kagami grabbed her sword. She may not have been Ryuuko anymore, but she was still a hero, suit or not!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What she didn’t expect however, was to see Marinette inside an abandoned classroom, talking to herself. Or maybe not.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...well, and just when today was starting to look like it’d be normal for once!” she grumbled. “I was hoping to spend some time with Adrien!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Paris is in danger, Marinette,” said a small voice, almost motherly in her reprimandations. “You can worry about your crush later! Cat Noir needs you!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>...wait, what? Kagami let in a sharp intake of breath, suddenly realizing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>If that wasn’t enough, the flash of red light, and the sound of “Tikki, Spots On!” that came a few seconds before sealed the deal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kagami watched as the defender of Paris swung out the window, ready to face her newest villain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette was Ladybug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>...yeah, that explained a lot.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So, she was friends with a superhero. Kagami suddenly broke into a laugh, remembering Chloe’s idolization of Ladybug and her spitting hatred of Marinette. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Oh dear, if she knew! This has to be the definition of irony!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Yes, Kagami mused, she had some really great friends.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Okay, so yeah, for this one I had to do some Google searches. Like, I didn't want to visit the cliche Paris locals, so no Eiffel Tower or the Louvre. (Alas, this means no cheesy kiss atop the Tower, though I may save that for another time)</p><p>Hopefully I didn't come off too much as a brochure for Paris' sights and sounds. Like, uuuuugh, I'd hate that.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Day 4: No Hesitation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>November 16: No Hesitation</p><p>Kagami is bold and holds nothing back she doesn’t falter and knows what she wants, this is about the confident side of Kagami</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Okay, a bit saltier than I normally do, but not by much. Featuring Protective Alya and Protective Kagami. Nobody hurts their Marinette. I *admit* this one takes some inspiration from Pants on Fire by quicksilversquared but I tried not to be too derivative.</p><p>(Also, one can presume this is in mostly the same canon as Day 2)</p><p>If anyone can spot the movie shout-out in this chapter, have an internet cookie! Also, I had *several* ideas for how this chapter would have gone, I know a Kiss Chase was one of them but I think a Love Square fic did that. Also, video gaming but I'm not sure Kagami's into that so...</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kagami never hesitated. Not in life, not in love, and not in anything. </p><p>And she was most certainly <em> not </em> hesitating in bringing Lila Rossi down for the count. This… girl, and Kagami hesitated to call her even that as she was sure she was actually a kitsune in disguise really… No, this <em> witch </em>had gone on for too long, bending everyone to her every whim.</p><p>Kagami had theories, multiple ones really if the kitsune one didn’t actually pan out.</p><p>One, she was an Akuma, created by Hawk Moth to cause mass chaos.</p><p>Two, she was a sentimonster.</p><p>Three, she was just a bitch and just simply that good.</p><p>(Kagami hated that last theory, she didn’t like thinking magic wasn’t involved in some capacity.)</p><p>In any event, she’d nearly gotten her girlfriend expelled. This couldn’t stand. Adrien had only managed to make a deal with the devil to get her beloved back. But what about the next time? Because there would be a next time. And Adrien himself might just get burned in the process.</p><p>It was all Marinette could do to stop her girlfriend from going down to Lila’s house and cutting her down with her blade. Fine then. But Lila had fired the first shots in a war, and like the samurai of old, Kagami intended to defend her land. Or, at least, in this case her city. </p><p>Lila was dangerous, she had to go.</p><p>“At least Adrien tried,” Longg commented, floating above her head. She had been reunited with her precious Kwami, after Ladybug had decided that it was getting too dangerous to fight Hawk Moth with only Cat Noir by her side. So Team Miraculous rose again, like a phoenix from the ashes. Admittedly, it was one less Bee, but they were working on that. “The boy is a worthy Cat. It takes restraint not to go full ‘scorched earth’ as you humans call it. I can only imagine Plagg’s egged him on to do that.”</p><p>Honestly, Kagami wasn’t sure why she hadn’t seen it before. They had the same blond hair, and oh there was always a bit of ‘Cat’ in Adrien’s smiles now that she thought about it. Kagami would have probably gone on being as oblivious as the rest of Paris had Ladybug not decided that there should be trust between team members, and that meant everyone had to know who everyone else was. Boy, she had been in for a <em> shock </em>realizing just who her girlfriend was!</p><p>“Yes, and I applaud him for that, Longg, but Lila?” Kagami mused. “She’ll strike back with a vengeance you know. Just because she’s satisfied now…”</p><p>“I see.” Longg admitted. “She doesn’t seem to know when to quit. Such a pity really, with her charisma she could be a great force for good!”</p><p>“But alas, she is nothing of the kind,” Kagami said. “I have to deal with her, expose her for the witch that she is, the little vixen. She got my beloved expelled, Longg. That’s going to show up on her record, reversed or not! It’ll follow her forever…”</p><p>“Alas, you’re quite right about that,” Longg agreed. “She’s a good girl, she doesn’t deserve it.”</p><p>“...you don’t think you can breathe fire on her homework, can you?” Kagami asked, half-jokingly. “I know it’s petty, but… that girl,” she continued, having to spit the word out. “She deserves some bad karma heading her way for once.”</p><p>“Revenge, the most worthless of causes,” Longg tried to advise. </p><p>“Oh no, this isn’t revenge,” Kagami refuted. “This is justice. Lila, we know she’s probably working for Hawkmoth anyways. Best we deal with her, before we have another Scarlet Moth situation. Cut the thread, if you will. We barely escaped a second incident, what about a third?”</p><p>“Agreed,” Longg finally admitted. “So do you have an idea of how to expose her?”<br/>
<br/>
“Glad you asked!” Kagami said. “It’s doubtful she’s really been on vacation these past few months, so if we can get a truancy officer involved…? We don’t have to unravel all of her lies, that’d just be petty. It’s not the behavior instilled in a samurai to be petty, we don’t seek out revenge. So, instead of exposing her many lies? We just have to expose just one big one.”</p><p>Marinette, for whatever reason had managed to snag a few pictures of Lila’s Skype call. Probably to stockpile evidence for some later day, maybe to expose Lila herself. Considering that Marinette seemed to have a plan for <em> everything </em>, being a superhero and all? It wouldn’t surprise Kagami, at all.</p><p>There were a few problems with Lila Skyping. A few obvious holes to poke in her story if you really tried.</p>
<ol>
<li>Anyone who knew anything about cell service could tell you that it was impossible to get a good signal from the street.</li>
<li>Secondly, these were very busy main streets, and curiously, no cars or anyone seemed to be around. That led Kagami to suspect they were posters.</li>
<li>Relating to the first point, how did Lila get the internet where she was?</li>
<li>If Lila was using greenscreen, and this related to the second point, there would be a very obvious glow. So, posters it was then.</li>
</ol><p>Kagami wasn’t like Ladybug, she was nowhere near was observant as her girlfriend. But she wasn’t stupid. And she was so very <em> very </em>done with Lila’s bullshit. She was still sore about the chain of events that led to Oni-Chan.</p><p>Being Akumatized once was humiliating enough, but twice? That really burned her up. Kagami didn’t like losing herself to fits of temper, in Paris that was dangerous actually! But she was on a righteous crusade, on behalf of her girlfriend.</p><p>Nobody made Marinette cry. Nobody.</p><p>A storm was beginning to broil, lightning crackling and winds beginning to rage. Lila could try and brace herself against it all she liked, but eventually it would blow her away. </p><p>Kagami soon noticed the way her thoughts were heading, and was quickly appalled with her own behavior. Not to mention ashamed. A Tsurugi never hesitated, but she didn’t act on rash desires either, and nor did she seek out revenge. She had to control herself, lest she bring shame upon her family and risk another akumatization.</p><p>Speaking of akumatizations, Kagami knew if she exposed Lila, there would probably be another Volpina incident. Alas, that was something she had figured was coming. </p><p>“...you could try and get in touch with her mother,” Longg suggested as an offhand. </p><p>“No, given the fact that she hasn’t shown up to deal with Lila?” Kagami mused. “It’s pretty safe to say she’s under her own daughter’s spell. Unfortunate, but not really unexpected.”</p><p>“A tragedy really, but you mustn’t blame her,” Longg said shaking his head. “Parents want to believe the best of their children, really. I honestly feel sorry for her when she eventually finds out. It’s really quite the sad tale!”</p><p>In any event, Kagami had the evidence she needed. Now all she needed to do was present it. Hopefully, Mr. Damocles wasn’t as under Lila’s spell as she believed him to be. He wasn’t a <em> bad </em>man, not by any means. He actually wanted to do right by his students, and he did regular public service as ‘The Owl’. He was just easily misled, or as Longg said, wanted to believe the best of the children under his care.</p><p>That vixen had fooled everyone. Kagami knew she should feel angry at the grave injustices done here, especially to her girlfriend. But instead she could feel only pity.</p><p>Kagami strode into Francois-Dupont a few days later, looking dressed to kill. She was in full ‘Ice Queen’ mode, an impassive look on her face, very little emotion in her expression. That is, until you looked into her eyes, barely contained rage in them. The fury of a dragon could be a terrifying thing indeed. </p><p>Marching her way to the front office, she quickly found Mr. Damocles.</p><p>“Ms Tsurugi?” the owlish-looking man asked, surprised. “What is the purpose of your visit? Shouldn’t you be in class?”<br/>
<br/>
“Class can wait,” Kagami said and it was only then that Mr. Damocles noticed the important looking man in a sharply dressed suit behind her. “This is more important. I believe one of your students, one of my fellow classmates, is committing truancy, and it is my duty to report it to you, the Principal of this school.”</p><p>“Yes, very well intentioned, but…” Mr. Damocles said, looking nervous under the sharp-dressed man’s gaze.</p><p>“But nothing!” Kagami said, somewhat furiously. “I believe Lila Rossi has been skipping out on months of schooling, and needs to be dealt with. I am not above tattling, she is a disruptive influence to my girlfriend’s schooling and we’re both concerned about her.”</p><p>Well, concerned probably wasn’t the <em> right </em>word when it came to Lila Rossi. But there was no need to devolve into throwing shit at one another like mindless baboons. This called for a more delicate approach. Well, as delicate as getting a Truancy Officer involved could be, anyway.</p><p>And so she handed the proof, showing the pictures of the skype calls and then the posters she’d found online. Obviously, and unsurprisingly, they were exact matches. It didn’t take long for Mr. Damocles to put the dots together, and his eyes narrowed in what was obviously humiliated fury. </p><p>“I… I can’t believe this, to think she’s been skipping school for so long…” the principal sighed, rubbing his brow in exhaustion. Already, today was turning out to be a long day. “This is disgraceful! It’s shameful for a student of this school to behave this way, how could I not see it?”</p><p>A nasty little voice, sounding frighteningly like Oni-Chan in the back of Kagami’s mind said: <em> “Maybe because you didn’t want to…” </em></p><p>She brushed that thought aside, no Mr. Damocles was a victim here. Same as everyone else.</p><p>“Can you contact Ms. Rossi’s mother?” the Officer, a man named Jean-Pierre asked. </p><p>“Yes, I should have…” Mr. Damocles said before searching around in his desk, brushing things aside and muttering to himself. After about a minute, he let out a small cry of ‘aha!’ before digging out a phone number from his desk. “Yes, this should be it… Give me just a moment!”</p><p>Dialing the number on his desk phone, and after about a minute of trying, his brow furrowed.</p><p>“This is… yeah, this is interesting. I swear this has never happened before!” Mr. Damocles muttered, confused before a horrific realization seemed to strike him. “...you don’t think Lila lied about her contact information as well do you?”</p><p>“Given her lying disease, which by the way I mean to you to talk about as there’s no such thing,” Kagami suggested, accidentally letting a bit of spite slip through. “It would appear so.”</p><p>“Does anyone know where Ms. Rossi actually is?” Jean-Pierre asked. </p><p>“I think I saw her in the halls earlier, just before I came in here,” Kagami said before turning to Mr. Damocles. “Would you like me to go fetch her?”<br/>
<br/>
“I should very much think so,” Mr. Damocles said, now looking understandably angry. “In fact, I would like to accompany you! I do not take being fooled so lightly!”</p><p>Kagami cast a <em> very </em>wide berth as she strode through the halls of the school, students seeming to instinctively know to get out of her way.</p><p>From inside her bag, she heard Longg say: “...well, looks like you’ve managed to win some hearts and minds. I feel pretty sorry for Lila right about now.”</p><p>Kagami really didn’t.</p><p>Surprise surprise, she was found regaling the class with tales of Jagged Stone. “So then, after I saved his kitten from the runway, he said to me: “How very rock and roll! I should write a song about this!” and so he did!”</p><p>Marinette looked resigned to her fate, while Adrien was giving Lila a look of barely disguised disgust.</p><p>“...I’m pretty sure that would cast some <em> very </em>un-rock and roll aspersions on Jagged Stone,” Kagami said giving Lila her worst, nastiest glare. “How old are you? Not even 16, right?”</p><p>“Kagami?” both Marinette and Adrien chorused in unison. Marinette in shock at her girlfriend’s boldness and Adrien in straight up confusion, not really sure at what was going on.</p><p>“Well, I… uh…” Lila stammered before the words died in her throat seeing the very red-faced Mr. Damocles enter the classroom. Lila, for her part, suddenly looked very pale.</p><p>“Mr. Damocles, please, we’re trying to have class!” Ms. Bustier said, trying to get everyone back on task. </p><p>Marinette, for her part, seemed to have realized what was going on and gave a smirk of triumph. Adrien himself muttered: “...well, looks like the jig is up!”</p><p>“Ms. Rossi, I’d very much like you to come to my office. Walk with me please!” Mr. Damocles instructed pointing to the door, and when Lila got cold feet, he said with more emphasis: “NOW, please!”</p><p>“Excuse me, what’s going on?” Rose dared to ask, her small voice a brave one breaking the silence of the stunned classroom.</p><p>“...the end of an era,” Adrien said to himself, as he sighed in relief.</p><p>“Ms. Rossi here has been skipping school, for apparently quite a while now it seems. If it were not for the actions of Ms. Tsurugi, it might have been for a much longer time,” Mr. Damocles said, his voice barely masking his fury as he took several deep breaths to calm himself. Kagami, for her part, kept an eye out for butterflies. “To this I owe her my gratitude.”</p><p>Alya, looking a mixture of hurt, sick and angry whirled on Lila. “You mean to tell me, she’s been lying about… What else have you been lying about Lila, tell me! I posted your interview on my blog!”</p><p>“...you didn’t check your sources, like a good reporter should. It’s really your own fault,” Lila drawled, knowing the jig was up and seeing no reason to continue the charade.</p><p>“Yeah, I’ll give you that one,” Alya said surprisingly calmly. “I’ll be taking it down, and posting a retraction. That’s not what I’m angry about though. Oh no, testing my journalistic credulity is one thing, but making me send my best friend to back of the class? Okay, so she’s got some jealousy issues so…”<br/>
<br/>
Here she sent an apologetic glance towards Marinette, who could only say: “...no, that one’s fair. In your position I probably would have believed that, I really didn’t actually help my case much to be honest.”</p><p>“...but all the same,” Alya continued clearly beginning to work herself up into a rant. “You made me, you made <em> us </em>ostracize our friend. Our class president. Not cool, girl! Oh, I can’t believe I trusted Nino’s brother with you… you snake!”</p><p>“It was really a bit too easy,” Lila admitted, the whole class and the staff watching with a mix of horror and disgust, not really sure how to interfere. “Honestly, I was beginning to get bored.”</p><p>“Wait…” Alya trailed off, a thought striking her. “If you lied about everything else, that means… Oh, I was right! Marinette didn’t push you down the stairs. Then that means… YOU BITCH!”</p><p>Marinette and Nino had to hold her back, Alya looking ready to punch Lila and practically spitting fire.</p><p>“Woah, okay, dudette, it’s not worth it,” Nino said calmly. “It’s over now, she’s exposed.”</p><p>“Nino’s right, and while I’m happy you’re ready to throw hands on my behalf,” Marinette said. “I don’t want you to get in trouble either!”</p><p>“...yeah, you’re right,” Alya grumbled, taking a deep breath. “It’s just…”</p><p>“I know,” Marinette said, soothingly. “I know.”</p><p>“Ms. Rossi,” Mr. Damocles said, finally finding his voice. “It seems we have a <em> lot </em>to talk about! With me, to my office. NOW.”</p><p>And so a reign came to an end, a fox unmasked and one of Hawk Moth’s allies no longer finding herself useful. Marinette suspected it’d be a very long time before anyone saw the Italian ever again, and pulled Kagami into a tight hug, whispering: “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” over and over again.</p><p>“Think nothing of it, Mari-Hime. That kitsune made life Hell for you,” Kagami said. “I was just doing my duty as your girlfriend to lighten the load and my duty as a superhero to bring her to justice.”</p><p>Marinette brought her in for a <em> very </em>deep kiss at that.</p><p>“...well, it looks like we may have to keep an eye out for foxes again,” Adrien sighed. “If I know Hawk Moth, and I <em> do, </em>he’ll take use of this chaos and use her rage and humiliation and turn her into a supervillain.”</p><p>“...well, if it means I get to punch Liar Rossi in the face, I’m all for it!” Marinette spat, before laughing in joy, on a high. “I can’t believe she’s finally gone! It’s over!”</p><p>“I couldn’t just stand by anymore,” Kagami said. “I knew your expulsion was going on your permanent record, reversed or no, and I had to do something about it before we all went off to Lycee.”</p><p>“Something I’ll forever thank you for,” Marinette said, snuggling into her side. Kagami was… unused to such public displays of affection, but seeing Marinette so happy again? Well, she supposed it was just something she’d have to get used to. A sacrifice for the greater good, a terrible tragedy. “Thank you, again. I’m not sure how I can make it up to you…”</p><p>“A date this Saturday might be nice,” Kagami said. “And some free pastries.”</p><p>“I think I can arrange that!” Marinette grinned. And then came the sound of screams, and it was obvious what had just happened.</p><p>“Oh well, time to go into battle once again!” Kagami said as Longg appeared from her bag. “Who wants to drown a fox?”</p><p>“Or punch her, whatever works,” Marinette shrugged. “Yeah, this is going to feel so good. I know it’s not really superheroic of me and all, but…”</p><p>“Yeah, I know what you mean,” Kagami admitted. “Let’s kick her ass.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Okay, so yeah. Let it be said, I'm not a fan of Lila. I wish she would just go away.</p><p>But what I'm also not a fan of is treating the class like crap. Yeah, they screwed up, but they're ultimately the victims in this scenario. It's important to acknowledge that.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Day 5: Mirror</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>November 17: Mirror</p><p>What’s in a name? Kagami can be a narrative reflection of both main characters, she can be self reflective and learn from her own actions, or just a physical reflection. There’s things that appear the same and things that appear reversed in a mirror.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Light and Dark, Ying and Yang, Order and Chaos. Everything had its equal and opposite. A reflection in a mirror.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kagami had never really gotten an appreciation for that until today. An Akuma calling itself Balancing Act had appeared, and with a single touch, separated Kagami’s darker emotions from herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The things she never dared to dream for herself, or even thought about doing except in the back of her mind? They were now given form, and hiding behind a familiar face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Marinette is mine and mine alone!” cried that sickeningly familiar voice. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Well, there went her secret crush, now blown wide open</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Kagami thought to herself dryly. Oni-Chan was back again. Oh well, at least Rossi wasn’t to blame this time. Probably. “Nobody shall have her but me!”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Well, I already embody the Ojou Ice Queen stereotype,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Kagami thought to herself sarcastically. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Why not the Yandere one as well?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh, there went her dignity. She could see it fluttering out the window like one of Mr. Ramier’s precious pigeons. Or leaping out the window, as the case might have been.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chasing after her dark half, she grabbed her sword. Oh, this was going to be ugly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kagami knew what Oni-Chan’s powers were, how could she not? She’d </span>
  <em>
    <span>been </span>
  </em>
  <span>that abomination. Kagami was in no mood to appreciate the none too subtle reference of an akuma villain spurned by her love changing into a demon. Apparently Hawk Moth had all the subtlety of a brick to the face. Oh, who was she kidding? Party Crasher and the Bubbler had proven </span>
  <em>
    <span>that! </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>On a side note, Hawk Moth’s fashion sense was terrible. For a guy dressed up in a nicely pressed suit with a cane? His creations looked like they came from a fashion designer’s fever dream. Not one of them had ever looked good. And then there was Scarlet Moth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh yes!</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Kagami had heard her crush’s rantings. Adding red to anything did not a good fashion statement make. She still remembered what Marinette had to say about the scarlet Akuma villains. Nobody knew what exactly set her off, but she had a </span>
  <em>
    <span>lot </span>
  </em>
  <span>to say on the subject. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Hawk Moth is a punk ass bitch! Yeah, I know he’s a super villain and all, and he has to have a flare for the dramatic, but really? If he’s going to go parade himself all around the city in complete crimson, he’s going to get slapped. By me. With a ruler. He personally offends me just looking at him! You offend me sir! Honestly! He and I are going to have words if I ever meet him in person! As a fashion designer, I can’t bear to look at his… abominations he calls villains! Some of them nearly blinded me by their terribleness. Like, Scarlet Queen Wasp? She looks like ketchup on fries! Like, Good God!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Nobody had dared speak to Marinette for the rest of the day, a mixture of either horrified or stunned that she’d had it in her. Woe betide you if you incur the wrath of the little French-Chinese designer, evidently. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>All around her, the streets were in chaos. Evidently, Balancing Act had been busy. Very busy. Reflekta was zapping people right and left, turning them into carbon copies.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now everyone shall notice me!” the very pink, and certainly a crime against fashion akuma villain declared.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Reflekta, please!” Rose pleaded, as she stood nearby and tried to reason with her. “I know a part of Juleka exists somewhere in there right? Juleka knows, just as I do, that everyone already notices her!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nearby, Alya was exchanged in a war of the words with one of her Akuma forms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I shall expose the truth! No secret shall be safe, the greatest expose in the world shall be mine!” Lady Wi-Fi proclaimed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, and what about journalistic ethics?” Alya shouted, dodging a ‘pause’ symbol from the phone-wielding akuma. “Some people have secrets that they want to keep safe, ones that could ruin them!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh yeah, like Mayor Bourgeois?” Lady Wi-Fi argued. “Everyone knows he’s corrupt, that he’s taking bribes from other politicians! The people deserve to know the truth!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not like this! Okay, yeah, the Mayor’s pretty shit but so what, you’ll just stop there? Doubtful!” Alya argued with a scoff, now hiding behind a trash can. “You’ll just expose everyone’s secrets? What about personal privacy?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to be the greatest reporter in the world, and not even you can stop me!” Lady Wi-Fi continued to rant before Alya slammed the trash can over her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There, now you’re reporting on garbage,” Alya deadpanned. Bashing the lid on the can, she knocked her Akuma half out cold with the vibrations she’d created. “...and your outfit sucks too, by the way. Too much black, the white’s fine I guess but you could do with a bit more orange!”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“...shame she couldn’t expose Lila,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Kagami thought to herself watching the whole thing before saying: “She got you too, huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. Man, that was trippy,” Alya said. “I can’t believe that’s what I was like under Hawkmoth’s control!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You should see my doppelganger,” Kagami remarked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Riposte or Oni-Chan?” Alya asked worriedly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Marinette shall be mine!” came a yell from a block away, and Kagami sighed in shame, her cheeks scarlet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...take a guess.” she admitted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oooooh, ouch,” Alya winced. “Oh well, at least she doesn’t have an unbreakable sword.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...yeah, though I’m pretty sure teleporting by phone is arguably worse,” Kagami said in a dry tone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I…” Alya started, before it hit her. Doing a remarkable impression of a goldfish, she finally found her voice a few seconds later. “Wait, you have a crush on…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can we talk about this later?” Kagami asked hurriedly, before in a flash of light, her dark doppelganger appeared leveling a blade at Alya. Kagami groaned out: “...you see what I mean about the phones?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Césaire!” Oni-Chan snarled, growling demonically. “You don’t deserve to be Marinette’s friend, not now or not ever! You betrayed her, ostracized her! Dumped her for that lying fake fox!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kagami would admit that she had these thoughts at times, that she wanted to slap Alya upside the head. But she never acted upon them, it wasn’t Alya’s fault that she got taken in by Lila’s wild stories. Hell, Kagami herself had believed the little vixen once, leading to, -oh the irony- the original Oni-Chan situation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Leave her out of this,” Kagami said, leveling her own blade at… herself, okay yeah this was giving her a headache. “She’s done nothing to you.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“She hurt Marinette!” Oni-Chan snapped. “She hurt my very life and soul!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...I can’t decide if this is romantic, or just plain unhealthy,” Alya mused. “Like, I know girls appreciate the knight in shining armor thing, but nobody should ever be </span>
  <em>
    <span>that </span>
  </em>
  <span>devoted!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oni-Chan roared, attempting to skewer her. Cheeks still burning crimson, Kagami blocked the sword slash with her own blade. This was </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>how she wanted Marinette, or anyone else for that matter, to learn about her crush! The gods hated her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m with you, actually,” Kagami commented, nodding along in a little display of agreement. “It’s unhealthy. Definitely unhealthy. ...oh, what I wouldn’t give for the Black Cat miraculous right about now. Just so I can shut this thing up before she ruins my social life any further!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kicking Oni-Chan in the face, Kagami grabbed Alya by the hand, and ran.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Listen, about what my dark half said…” Kagami started.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know girl,” Alya said. “It wasn’t you, you didn’t mean any of it.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“But it was, in a way,” Kagami said. “I’ve harbored those thoughts at one time or another, I never planned to voice them but they were all me.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Yeah, so what?” Alya asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So what?” Kagami asked, eyes wide in disbelief. “Didn’t you hear her?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And didn’t you hear my dark half?” Alya asked. “I’ve wanted to expose people like the mayor as well, make sure everyone knows about Paris’ hidden secrets. But the important thing is, I’ve never acted on those desires. These twisted parodies of ourselves, they lack our sense of morality. They’re not us!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, you… yeah, you’re right,” Kagami admitted. “Gods, today is just so damn weird. I’ve got a headache already and it’s not even noon!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You and me both, girl,” Alya nodded before her smile turned wily as a fox. “...sooooooo, you like Marinette, huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hush!” Kagami said, her cheeks still burning. “We’ve got to find her! Marinette… there’s no way she’ll be able to defend herself against Oni-Chan’s powers!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean…” Alya said. “I don’t exactly think Marinette’s going to be in any </span>
  <em>
    <span>danger </span>
  </em>
  <span>from Oni-Chan, not if what I’ve been hearing is correct.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, at least at first!” Kagami agreed. “But what if Marinette rejects her? And you know she will, what then?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh my god…” Alya realized, her face one of slow realization, turning horror struck. “You’re right! COME ON!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pulling on Kagami’s hand tighter, she tugged her down the streets. If Alya pulled her any harder, Kagami feared she’d pull her arm out of it’s socket. United in their protection for Marinette, another piece of irony Kagami was in no mood to appreciate, they ran down the streets. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, getting to her parent’s bakery was no easy task, given Akumas roamed the streets. It was mass chaos. It was clearly with some Ladybug Luck on their side that neither girl had attracted any of their attentions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But then…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jaywalking!” came a voice, and Alya groaned in recognition. “You’re both under arrest, come with me down to the station! You shall be put on trial for crimes against Paris!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Seriously!?!” Alya nearly screamed as she saw the massive blue-armored form of Rogercop charging towards them. His arm was outstretched, and looked to be ready to fire off some handcuffs towards them both.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then the sounds of wasps filled the air, an angry buzz like hell itself. Rogercop never stood a chance, as he was swarmed by the hive. They struck through his armor like lightning bolts, jabbing into his skin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Behold Paris and have no fear!” Queen Wasp cried out, standing atop another swarm as Alya and Kagami were forced to cover their ears from the noise. Other swarms attacked villains like Reflekta and Robustus, incapacitating them. Robustus, in particular, crashed to the ground, his armored form falling to pieces. “The </span>
  <em>
    <span>only </span>
  </em>
  <span>hero you shall ever need is here!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>An unexpected savior, to say the least!</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Never thought I’d be saying thank you to her!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Kagami thought. That thought was short lived, as Queen Wasp spotted them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lady Wi-Fi, Oni-Chan! There you are!” Queen Wasp shouted as her wasps zeroed in on the two girls. “You’re a threat to Paris, a threat to Adrikins!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uuuuuuuugh, seriously?” Alya groaned, before from out of the shadows a little old man, resembling a turtle pulled out his shield as the wasps charged. They bombarded the little old man’s shield, bouncing off it, before he threw it like a frisbee and knocked Queen Wasp into a fountain.</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“...who the…?” Kagami asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just a friend,” the man said. “Call me Jade Turtle. Ryuuko, Rena Rouge. It is good to see you.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Wait, how do you know who we are?” Alya asked. “And where did you come from?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m taking a grave risk by being out here, but Hawk Moth has forced my hand,” Jade Turtle explained. “You two are needed to defend Paris. Team Miraculous must be formed once more!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And suddenly Alya realized.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re like the mentor figure aren’t you?” she gasped. “You’re the one who gave Cat Noir and Ladybug their Miraculous!”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“And now I am giving yours back,” Jade Turtle said, before holding out two little boxes. Kagami and Alya knew what lay inside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Trixx!” Alya cried as she hugged the little fox kwami.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Salutations,” Longg bowed. “It is a pleasure to see you again, Madam Tsurugi.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh yeah, I know exactly what to do now,” Alya said knowing exactly what she could do with her illusions. “Kagami, I’ve got a plan. Oni-Chan’s not going to know what hit her! Until Ladybug and Cat Noir show up, it’s up to us to defend Paris. And your lady love of course! So… Trixx, Let’s Pounce!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kagami shouted: “Longg, Bring the Storm!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And she, like a surge of lightning, felt the energy overtake her once more...</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obviously, the very first thing Kagami, or rather Ryuuko once more, wanted to do was deal with her doppleganger. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...I mean, it’s kinda sweet I guess?” Rena said as they lay in wait, hiding behind a chimney and watching Oni-Chan bound across rooftops. “Scary, but sweet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They knew the plan. Create an illusion of Marinette, and have ‘her’ confess to Oni-Chan and genuinely keep her occupied long enough for Ryuuko to knock her out. This plan, of course, was washed away as soon as they saw Oni-Chan bound by, with Marinette in her arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kagami, put me down!” the girl demanded. “This isn’t you! Hawk Moth’s making you do this!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, but I want to do this,” Oni-Chan disagreed, shaking her head. “Don’t you see, I </span>
  <em>
    <span>love </span>
  </em>
  <span>you Marinette, and I’m not going to let anyone touch you ever again. No harm shall come to you while I’m around…”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Awww, than…” Marinette started before it hit her. Gaping like a fish, she managed to babble out: “Bwuh… wait… huh? What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My other half is too cowardly to admit it, probably afraid of what mother would have to say, but me?” Oni-Chan said. “I’m going to keep you safe, Marinette. Nobody’s ever going to hurt you ever again. Not Chloe, not Lila, and if Hawk Moth comes calling, well I’ll kick his ass too!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… Thank you, I guess?” Marinette admitted, her brows furrowing in concern. “But Hawk Moth, he’s powerful! And you’re an akuma, he could take your powers away!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll stop him before he tries,” Oni-Chan said. “I’m a swordswoman, you know. Simple stab, straight to the heart. As for finding him, WELL! If his cane works anything like Ladybug’s yo-yo or Cat Noir’s baton, it should have a telephone function as well, right?”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“You’d… you’d kill him?” Marinette asked, eyes wide in horror. “Kagami, no! He needs to face the courts, let them decide his fate! That’s not justice you’re going to administer, that’s murder!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So?” Oni-Chan shrugged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alya knew what she had to do, and called out: “Mirage!” thinking of an image. And what an image it would be, as only one thing would distract Oni-Chan now!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hahahahaha, kill me?” Hawk Moth said as he strode up, spinning his cane. Now, Alya had no idea if he actually did that, but given he seemed to be quite the drama queen -really, he asked for battle music!- it sorta fit him she supposed. “You really think you can do that, little swordswoman?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For the good of Paris, no for the good of the world, I shall!” Oni-Chan said, gently setting her lady love down. Turning to her, with a look of love in her eyes, she said: “Stay here Marinette, I’ll handle this monster.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“O-Okay,” Marinette said, already looking to scramble away though her captor hadn’t seemed to have noticed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now…” Oni-Chan growled. “HAVE AT THEE!”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>The two clashed blade and cane for a short few minutes, until Oni-Chan scored a lucky stab only for ‘Hawk Moth’ to explode in a cloud of orange smoke. She shrieked in rage, realizing what must have happened, but had no time to think about it. The air crackled with lightning, and with a roar of thunder Ryuuko surged forth punching her evil side straight into a building.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ryuuko?” Marinette asked in confusion. “But I thought… I saw Oni-Chan…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>:”That was my Yin, my darkness,” Ryuuko explained. “An Akuma’s split everyone into their light and dark halves, me included.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“But you can’t ever be a superhero ever again,” Marinette protested. “You exposed your identity!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s an all hands on deck situation, really,” Ryuuko said and gestured to the chaos all around her. “Now, I don’t know where Ladybug and Cat Noir are, but Gods I hope they show up soon. You though? You need to get to safety, </span>
  <em>
    <span>watashi no rakkīchāmu</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette blushed a beet red. “Those things she was saying, were they…? I mean, I thought you liked Adrien!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did, once,” Ryuuko admitted. “And he’s nice enough I suppose, but his father… Well, if we were ever to date, he’d probably break us up for ‘the brand’ or something. Piece of crap, may the Gods curse him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sounded somewhat heart-broken, but not as much as you’d expect. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s indecisive anyways, and his heart clearly belongs to another even if he’s not going to admit it. Dating him? It’d only end in heartbreak, I’d always only be second best,” Ryuuko said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So why… how do I factor into this?” Marinette asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You? You’re so incredibly sweet, and kind. Incredibly on-task, and focused when you want to be. You were my first real friend, honestly. And you stand by your friends. Loyalty is an admirable trait. Anyone would be lucky to fall for a girl like you, and I… I have,” Ryuuko whispered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then those words your Yin half was saying, they were true? All of them?” Marinette asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you Marinette, from the bottom of my heart.” Ryuuko said, kissing her forehead. “And if you’ll have me…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“WHOO! YOU GO GIRL!” Alya cheered. “Seriously Marinette, you better date this girl! Like, that is a love confession for the ages, that is wife material right there! You’d better scoop her up before someone else does!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alya?” Marinette goggled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rena facepalmed. “...uh, whoops? Looks like I got a bit too carried away. ...oh, LB’s gonna kill me.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“I’m sure she’ll understand,” Marinette said with a little smile. “Besides, it can wait till after the city’s back to normal. Ladybug will be along shortly, I’m sure of it!”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Ryuuko smiled, daring to hope. “...and?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And we’ll see, Kagami,” Marinette said, kissing her cheek. “We’ll see.”</span>
  <span></span><br/>
<span><br/>
</span>
  <span>And a samurai fought for the love of her lady, Paris soon no longer in peril...</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This was a fun one to write! Like, after a bit of thought, this was what came to me.</p><p>I had another idea as well, go on full DC Comics and have Kagami somehow stumble across her Earth-2 or Earth-3 doppleganger, and I may still use that for the free day but this was what won out.</p><p>Also, the rant. Inspired by a DC comics crossover, I forget the name but I know it's one of the few and I mean very few Maribat stories I like. Also, the Alya Sugar? I was talking with Keyseeker shortly before I wrote this and we both agreed Alya needs more love. So she gets to hand her main Akuma form her ass and sass her while she's at it.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Day 6: Blades</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>November 18: Blades</p><p>Fencing? Kendo? Ice skates? Riposte? Oni Chan? Ryuko? Miss Tsurugi is a sharp young woman who does a good job of being a cut above the rest.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>(Takes place in the same timeline as Day 5)</p><p>Also, thank you thank you for the comments on the last chapter! Like... wow! Four comments on one chapter, that's a record for me. Forgive me if I sound like I'm scrounging for sympathy but yesterday was *terrible*. Seeing those comments, you lit up my day! Love you all!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Kagami’s family lived by the blade. Sometimes they died by it as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To them, it wasn’t just a simple hobby. It was a way of life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>From a very early age, her mother had drilled into her that the sword was her lifeblood. The way of the samurai was their code.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even if Japan had no need for them anymore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After the end of the Samurai in 1868, the Edo period, and the end of the feudal states, the way of the sword still persisted in their bloodline. Somewhere along the line, from then and now, someone had learned of the noble art of fencing and from then forth? The Tsurugi clan fought not to protect Japan’s emperors, but to conquer the battlefields in other ways. They drew their swords not to fight, but for sheer sport.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>just </span>
  </em>
  <span>a sport for them though, for the Tsurugis it was a way to keep their heritage alive and well into the present day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Such as today…</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Blades rang out in the school courtyard, Mr. D'Argencourt shouting over the students as his prized fencers dueled, not quite to the death but for their family honor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kagami kept her cool, keeping </span>
  <em>
    <span>just </span>
  </em>
  <span>out of blade’s reach.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on Dude!” Nino shouted to his best friend. “You can beat her! You got this!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kick his ass Kagami!” Marinette shouted, before letting out a whistle. “You’ve trained your whole life, don’t let him beat you!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kagami felt her heart lighten just a little at her girlfriend’s praise, and dodged a strike before going in for the kill.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A point was scored.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Girl, I thought you’d be cheering on Adrien,” Alya said, filming the whole thing on her phone. “So what’s with the change?”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Well, </span>
  <em>
    <span>yeah </span>
  </em>
  <span>normally I’d be cheering on Adrien, but he’s dueling </span>
  <em>
    <span>my </span>
  </em>
  <span>girlfriend,” Marinette said, somewhat smugly. “Please, she’s got this in the bag! Like, she’s been training since she could hold a sword. Adrien has no chance!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My calculations suggest that there is a 95.6% chance that Marinette may be right,” Max said, checking his data. “Adrien has no chance!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you Max.” Marinette smiled, sugary-sweet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was soon eating her words, as the next point went to Adrien.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“.....ooooh, spoke too soon?” Alya asked, Marinette’s eye twitching at her girlfriend being bested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I told you my man had this in the bag!” Nino said, slapping his palm with Kim.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“See, while Kagami’s trained her whole life,” Kim pointed out. “Adrien’s learned fencing from the </span>
  <em>
    <span>best </span>
  </em>
  <span>trainers in the world, meaning he can make up the experience gap!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...and yet none of these trainers had the name Tsurugi,” Marinette huffed, crossing her arms. “So clearly, you’re wrong! Just you watch, Kagami’s going to turn this around!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on Adrikins!” Chloe hollered over the din. “You can show the Ice Queen who’s boss! Make Dupain-Cheng eat her words!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was over in a matter of seconds, but it wasn’t Marinette who was eating her words. Oh no, it was Chloe, as Kagami had dived in with the final point needed for the win. Panting and sweating, she lifted her mask and relaxed against a nearby wall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good game, Kagami,” Adrien complimented, passing her by before taking a sip of his water. “You really kept me on my toes this entire time.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“And to you as well,” Kagami replied. “You were a… sufficient challenge.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette smiled at Kagami bringing her in for a hug before wincing. “...yeah, no, I was going to bring you in for a hug, but as your girlfriend I’m allowed to tell you that you stink. You need a shower.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Oh?” Kagami asked. “Is that an invitation, Mari-Hime?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...wha…? NO!” Marinette said quickly, cheeks a bright red as Kagami giggled at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, you’re way too easy to tease, my beloved,” Kagami said. “I’m sorry, I’ll stop. But you’re right, I am hot and I am sweaty. But I assume you enjoyed my victory?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You were a joy to watch,” Marinette said, no stammer in her voice. “It wasn’t a battle for you, it was more like a dance.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Well, I have practiced my craft for years now,” Kagami replied as the two walked. “It is really quite easy for me by this point, Adrien is really the only one who can ever give me an actual sufficient challenge by this point.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Ooooooh, confidence!” Marinette giggled, before punching her in the arm. “I love it when you get cocky!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not being cocky, when you </span>
  <em>
    <span>know </span>
  </em>
  <span>you can win,” Kagami said, head held high. “My mother has made me fight all my life, to prove myself. Women are rarely accepted, alas, on the wider tournament circuit. I aim to change that. I’ve been putting in the work, practicing my craft and making sure that everyone knows, hell or high water, the Tsurugi family will not be defeated. I hope to inspire other girls to take up the sword, and follow in my stead. I want to challenge them on the tournament circuit, see what they’re made of. It really annoys me how there are few girls because of rampant sexism. Sadly, Mari-Hime, the women’s tournaments are hardly considered as ‘important’ as the men’s, so very few consider it worth the effort in taking up the sword. I want to change that. Prove that we are something worth watching.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Marinette felt the waves of confident roll off her girlfriend, and felt an unadulterated surge of love rush towards her. She’d always loved it when her girlfriend stated her intentions, and planned to go above and beyond to prove that she was the best. But this went a little beyond even that, actually. This was making sure that others were going to follow in her stead. Marinette would even admit that although her desire was fashion, she for a brief second was inspired to pick up the sword as well!</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“I see my words are having an effect on you Mari-Hime,” Kagami said, noting her girlfriend’s expression. “Are you, perhaps, inspired?”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Mhmmm, maybe?” Marinette admitted. “I admit, you kinda got to me there. While I won’t be picking up the sword any time soon, I most certainly will be sketching out designs for fashionable yet functional fencing gear. I’ve seen some of the official stuff out there, it’s practical yeah, but hardly beautiful to look at. It’s designed for one thing only, it’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>just </span>
  </em>
  <span>a uniform. Bleagh!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alas, I can agree with you on that,” Kagami sighed. “The official uniforms? They’re functional, but hardly very flattering. They’re just ‘gear’, nothing more to be said about it. My mother would probably have a cow, as you say, if she heard me, but is it so wrong to want to look good on the battlefield?”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Well, considering who you’re talking to…” Marinette remarked dryly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fair point!” Kagami agreed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ewwwww, you two are so sickeningly sweet that it’s disgusting,” Chloe mock-gagged as she passed them by. “Could you two be any more saccharine? It’s like I’m watching a bad romance novel unfold before my very eyes!”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Excuse you, we are a Shoujo Manga!” Marinette said, sticking out her lip at the blond brat. Chloe just simply blew a raspberry in return.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Must you rise to her taunts, Marinette?” Kagami sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Leave it to Chloe to have no appreciation for romance!” Marinette grumbled, rubbing her head. “That girl, I swear…. Oooh, she really burns me up! I don’t think she’d know a good romance if it smacked her in the face!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Leave her be, Marinette,” Kagami urged. “She’s just jealous.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Jealous of what?” Marinette wondered. “She’s rich!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, but she’s not dating the cutest girl alive!” Kagami said, kissing her forehead as she wrapped an arm around her, pulling Marinette in close.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Flatterer!” Marinette giggled before she shoved Kagami away, still wrinkling her nose. “Also, you still stink!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kagami only laughed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fencing wasn’t the only kind of blade that Kagami found herself skilled in. She also considered herself an accomplished figure skater. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Every winter back home in Japan, she would put on her skates and be driven to the nearest frozen lake. She found herself spending hour after hour there, even despite the cold. It was a dance of beauty, grace, and required the utmost concentration not to fall flat on one’s face. Twirling in the midst of gentle snow flurries on a nice winter’s day always relaxed her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And she figured it would relax Marinette as well, the poor girl having a lot on her plate lately. Between her designing, her duties as Ladybug, and being the guardian? It was a wonder she hadn’t overworked herself to death! Karōshi was a horrid thing, and Kagami was going to make sure that Marinette never suffered from it. She often told her, to only a weary smile: “You are worth more than what you give to others. Treat yourself, Marinette.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette always waved her off, with a sad smile saying she had too much work to do.</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Not this time, Kagami resolved. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>This time, Marinette was going to have some fun with her life!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So to the figure skating rink they went, Marinette nervously lacing up her shoes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A-Are you sure about this, Kagami?” she nervously stammered out. “Like, I’ve only skated once or twice before and… I’m just afraid I’m going to trip and break my face open on the ice! Then I’ll die of blood loss and you’ll be holding my funeral and dying alone never loving anyone else in your life and…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Breathe, dear,” Kagami said. “You’ll do fine…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kagami’s right!” Tikki popped up, encouraging as always. “You’ve ice-skated before, remember? As Ladybug! Remember Glaciator?”</span>
  <span></span><br/>
<span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“But that was under pressure, not, y’know, casually!” Marinette stammered out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tikki looked skeptic. “You can do it, Marinette! Just enjoy yourself, Kagami’s treating you and I agree with her goals! We’ve talked about this quite a bit, actually, her and I. You need to relax, your duties as a guardian can wait for tomorrow! This is supposed to be your time. So go forth, and have some fun!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, okay…” Marinette said staggering to her feet, her knees wobbling but eventually she found her balance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“See, there you go!” Tikki cheered, and if it was possible for a Kwami to look smug, Tikki definitely did. “I told you that you can do it!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell me in five minutes when I haven’t broken my face open…” Marinette muttered, before her eyes widened as she saw her girlfriend gently glide across the ice before going into a graceful Biellmann spin. Pulling her leg above her head, she then changed into an arabesque position for another spin. Marinette’s eyes sparkled, in awe of her girlfriend’s coordination and balance before letting out a small breathy: “...wow…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, what are you waiting for?” Longg encouraged, watching his Guardian eye his holder. “Get out there!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I…” Marinette mumbled, pressing her fingers together. “I’m not sure if I can…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re Ladybug!” Tikki put in. “Pretend you’re battling an akuma if you must, but I know if you apply some of your superheroine confidence you can do </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything! </span>
  </em>
  <span>So… go on!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right, confidence!” Marinette told herself. “Yeah, you’re right! I can do this! So let’s go!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kagami watched her skate out into the rink with a small smirk even as she went into a leg wrap that swiftly changed into a lunge. One leg was bent sharply at the knee, and the other was extended backwards with the boot touching the ice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pulling herself up, she spun almost like a ballerina. This, unlike fencing, </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>basically a dance and despite it being on a rink instead of a dance floor, it mattered little. The environment was what it was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gently grasping Marinette’s hand, she pulled her along the rink before dipping her like they were dancing the tango. Her girlfriend let out a little squeak, even as both Longg and Tikki clapped hard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go Marinette!” Tikki applauded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette sent her best friend a gentle smile, before trying her luck and spinning on the ice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“See, I knew you could do it,” Kagami said as she watched. And then, to her surprise and astonishment, Marinette leapt into a butterfly jump, before landing on the ice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...what?” the Chinese girl said somewhat smugly. “It’s really, now that I think about it, no different than the aerobatics I get up to as Ladybug!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kagami nodded. Was she blushing? Maybe she was…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Forcing the blush down, the two mirror skated on opposite sides of the rink, each doing a Charlotte spiral. The torso was bent down towards the skating leg, with the free leg held upwards in a 180 vertical split. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then the nearly direct opposite, an I-Spin, with an upright leg pulled towards the body like, well, an I. Eventually the dance slowed itself, and Kagami wrapped her arms around her girlfriend, pulling her close and letting Marinette’s head rest on her chest, and nestle into her neck. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nuzzling close, Marinette let out a low hum, her breath visible in the cold. “This was a good idea, thank you. I don’t know why I opposed you before now. There’s no Hawk Moth, no commissions to worry about. It’s just… us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kagami spun Marinette around, and now they were facing each other. Pulling her into a gentle kiss, she smiled. “See, maybe now you’ll listen to me more often. I worry about you Mari-Hime, I don’t want to see you kill yourself. You need to spend time for yourself, you’re not alone anymore. If we must, we can share Guardian duties. I’ll always be here for you, love. I just want you to know that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette smiled weakly. “Yes… that sounds about right, it sounds very nice indeed. Thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kagami smiled, and kissed her again. “Good. Good girl. I love you, you know that right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” Marinette said. “And I love you too.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Can you tell I had to look up figure skating? Like, I seriously didn't know a thing about it until I had to browse around for information so I could write this chapter.</p><p>...I'm half-tempted to take ballet now, if only to shave off some weight.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Day 7: Storm</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>November 19: Storm</p><p>Wind. Water. Electricity. Is it destruction? A coup de foudre? And excuse for a cozy night in? A brilliant display of lightning reflexes?</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Fireflies is property of Owl City, by and by. I was in a weird headspace at the time, a bit tired of day after day writing and I think it kinda shows so I apologize in advance.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kagami had always liked the summer storms back home, when the wind and the rains came. She’d never been afraid of them, and to hear the soft pitter-patter of the rain atop her manor home always calmed her. </p><p>Paris had storms as well, rains coming in the autumn and the spring. Reminders of home, bringing with them zen-like tranquility. Peaceful rain atop shingles, sliding down glass windows in a sea of gray, or at other times sun peeking through the clouds and casting light upon puddle-filled streets.</p><p>A splash as a car rushed on by, nearly soaking her. Headlights shone like lanterns through the city streets, a sea of light cascading all around her. Rain splattered on her umbrella, a gentle breeze rushing between buildings. It wasn’t frighteningly cold, biting wind lashing at her face and clawing into her skin. It was just a gentle nudge, a calming breath of life. Horns honked as thunder rumbled above as gray painted the skies above her, coating them in a blanket.</p><p>She risked catching a cold like this, and really she should have just taken the car home. But Parisian traffic was terrible right now. It was bumper to bumper, people struggling to get home before the skies really let loose. </p><p>So Kagami, bravely, decided to just walk. It was faster in the long run anyways.</p><p>A step to the left just narrowly avoided yet more water splashed in her face. A shouted apology echoed out from the car, and Kagami continued on her way. No use getting worked up about it, really. </p><p>She would continue her walk, and enjoy the sights and sounds around her. It’d be a bit of a walk, she knew, but she could make it. Besides, if worse came to worse, she could transform and travel by rooftop. She probably would, eventually, but for now she would enjoy the tranquility that this rare moment alone afforded her. </p><p>It was always a rush, life. Getting shunted around from place to place, no chance to stop and enjoy anything. These quiet moments, Kagami readily accepted when they came. Evening light began to filter through the grey clouds, and she knew she had to pick up the pace. Grumbling to herself, she transformed and like lightning, a dragon darted herself across the rooftops of Paris.</p><p>The suit itself provided more protection against the elements than you might have thought, for a skintight bodysuit. It burned with an internal fire, for lack of a better description. It never got cold, and even with rain slicking down her back, Kagami didn’t feel the chill. Magic prevented any rain from sloshing into her face, so her vision was clear for the next jump. And the next. And the next after that.</p><p>Sometimes, if only rarely, she wasn’t so graceful on the landing. Every so often, she nearly slipped and lost her balance but quickly righted herself, sometimes implanting her sword in the rooftop to help. The risk was always increased in weather like this, and it would be all too easy to slip and fall several stories to the concrete below. </p><p>The suits were strong, but not that strong. Cat had told her he was treated like a human pinball once, thanks to Stormy Weather and he’d still ached even with his super suit. Magic didn’t protect you against everything after all, it only gave you an extra cushion to soften the blow. So one wrong move, and she’d fall splat on the pavement.</p><p>She had to carefully calculate each jump, all in the span of just a few seconds before she made a mistake. Flipping in mid-air, her stomach touched by sunlight, she landed on a rooftop with a gleeful cry. Quickly composing herself -Tsurugis did not act like children, after all- she continued on about her merry way.</p><p>Landing outside the Liberty, Kagami smiled. It was her home for the night. Juleka had invited all of the girls in her class to stay for the night. There was enough room! When someone pointed out that meant Kagami was left out, -that someone being Marinette- she was invited as well.</p><p>Her transformation fading away, evaporating like water in the sun, she stepped onto the boat. </p><p>“You’re late you know,” Chloe said wearing a long shirt, striped like a bee. Her hair wasn’t in its usual ponytail, and her face devoid of make up. “We were just about to start the movie!”</p><p>Kagami quickly got changed into red pajamas, -white accented- buttoning up her shirt as she stepped out of the Liberty’s only bathroom. Sure enough, the rest of Ms. Bustier’s class was curled up around a projector, some cuddling each other close as the monster roared on-screen. It was clearly fake, a man in a rubber suit, but nobody really cared. Buildings burned, and people screamed as the giant marched on Tokyo to ominous, menacing music.</p><p>Off to the side, in a nightgown -black with white spots- was Lila, pretending to be interested by the proceedings. Though, obviously not very well given that she was doing her nails and giving increasingly foul looks at the class when she thought nobody was looking. </p><p>Kagami rolled her eyes as along came another story. “My papà, he actually knew the chief actor for this movie! He cited him as an inspiration to all of mankind!”</p><p>The class chattered excitedly at Lila’s proclamation, well most of them anyways. As Alya and Rose badgered Lila for more information, Chloe just picked popcorn out of the bucket. Sabrina, cutely, slept on her shoulder with glasses askew and falling off her face. Her friend gave a rare little smile, stroking her ginger locks. </p><p>Nobody had really noticed when it happened exactly, though little by little it had slowly become clear that Chloe was becoming a nicer person. Maybe being Queen Bee had something to do with it, maybe not. Nobody was really sure. But unlike years past, nobody protested when Chloe was invited along for this girls night in, though Kagami was sure everyone would protest about Lila if they knew what she was really like!<br/>
<br/>
But Lila wasn’t exactly doing any real damage, sure she was making up stories but she hadn’t hurt anyone. At least, not as far as Kagami could see. The thing about Lila, the Japanese girl had noticed was that she picked and chose her lies carefully. Nothing too obvious, at least nowadays. She certainly wasn’t going to lie about something that was so blatantly untrue, like say knowing Adrien’s mother.<br/>
<br/>
Not just for the fact that it was so clearly untrue you’d have to be an idiot to believe it, but simply due to the fact that Lila <em> loved </em>attention. If she was exposed as a fraud, the attention would stop coming her way. Friendship was probably something she couldn’t grasp, at least true friendship anyways, but it was obvious Lila loved being with people even if it was only to con them and string them along.</p><p>“...well, it’s not like we could just leave her out,” Marinette muttered, noticing Kagami’s expression as she followed her gaze around the room, her eyes drifting toward Lila. “Much as I want to, I can’t just leave her out. Not if I wanted to get lynched anyways.”</p><p>“She’s not doing anything, anyways so…” Kagami shrugged, curling up next to her friend. Contrasting Kagami's red pyjamas, Marinette wore a more feminine pink. “What can you do?”</p><p>“She almost looks peaceful, happy,” Marinette admitted begrudgingly, as she watched the Italian chat away with her class. She was even <em> laughing </em>, not even maliciously at that! Joyfully, actually, at some joke Alya had told her.</p><p>“Does it hurt?” Kagami wondered, the pain falling on the port windows behind them. It pattered the roof above, a peaceful elegant sound as it splattered against the wooden decks. When Marinette looked at her in confusion, blinking in surprise, Kagami elaborated. “Seeing her with your best friend, I mean?”</p><p>“A little, but…” Marinette said before sighing, perhaps slightly bitterly and shrugging. “As you said, what can you do?”</p><p>As Kagami held her close, Marinette squeaked in surprise, cheeks flushing red but soon fell silent. The movie had long since ended, the credits just petering out as the film reels slowed and for a while they just stayed there in the dark cuddling as the rain continued outside. </p><p>Snuggling into Kagami’s side, Marinette clutched her close, not really caring if anyone saw them or what they might have thought. It was frigid outside, and nestling like this for warmth was relaxing. </p><p>Off to the side, Alya lay on her stomach -glasses off to the side- with Rose doing her nails and Lila, perhaps grumply doing Mylene’s braids. The conversations changed often, nobody really focusing on one subject for too long and talking about whatever. Soft jazz oozed out of a radio, Barney Wilen’s tenor sax singing with the voice of an angel and transporting whoever listened to times long since past. If you closed your eyes, suddenly you were in Paris, in 1938, perhaps on Rue Crémieux or sitting in café Au Vieux Paris d’Arcole in the trendiest of fashions on the eve of war. </p><p>“We should do this again, someday soon,” Alya said, fiddling with her pajamas slightly after reclaiming her glasses. “Because seriously, this was a really good idea! I’m not sure why we didn’t do it sooner!”</p><p>“Hopefully on a nicer night, because the weather is terrible!” Chloe drawled. “It’s cold, and I’m shivering!”</p><p>“Well, you don’t have to be…” Sabrina suggested, thunder rolling outside as she budged up closer to Chloe. </p><p>Alya and Marinette shared a look, really everyone could see it. With all of the abuse Chloe used to heap on Sabrina, there really were only a few good reasons about <em> why </em> the girl could have possibly stuck with her so long. The fact that they played Ladybug and Cat Noir together didn’t help. Cat wore <em> leather </em>for crying out loud, to say nothing of Ladybug’s skintight bodysuit…</p><p>“Oh, alright!” Chloe grumbled, if only half-heartedly. Letting her friend snuggle up to her again, Chloe pulled her close. “...this doesn’t leave this room, you understand? Nobody must ever know I… cuddled with my best friend!”</p><p>She said it like it was a dirty word, as the rest of the girls giggled. In the back of the room, Lila rolled her eyes. </p><p>“I mean, it’s not exactly all <em> that </em> embarrassing to talk about!” Alya scoffed, herself pretty close to Marinette, laying on her lap even. Mylene was nearby as well, running a brush through the Creole’s hair and taming it. Curled locks were turned straight, voluminous and beautiful. “Considering the rest of us are cuddled up with each other, and all!” </p><p>“Not me,” Alix said, more focused on her Switch than anything else. “I don’t do that type of thing, like I just don’t. You can cuddle all you want, but don’t expect me to get involved. Way too ‘mushy’ for my tastes, bleagh.”<br/>
<br/>
“Just sayin’, you’re missing out!” Alya shrugged. “There’s nothing wrong with platonic cuddles with friends, especially on a chilly night like tonight.”<br/>
<br/>
“Friends, sure…” Alix said, casting a glance towards Chloe and Sabrina. “What do you think the boys are doing right now?” </p><p> </p><p>-----</p><p> </p><p>Well, to answer that question…</p><p>Really, a Boys Night Out wasn’t all that different from what the girls were doing. Just with more pizza and videogames. </p><p>And stupid challenges really. Ivan had taken Kim on in an arm wrestling match, as the rest of the guys roared in approval, shouting and cheering on their friends. </p><p>His father probably would have been appalled at how much cheesy pizza was being passed around. But Adrien simply didn’t care, after all his father wasn’t here was he? A little bit of teenage rebellion here and there didn’t hurt.</p><p>He had a diet, sure, but at times Adrien didn’t always enjoy it. He had to eat this and that, and only in certain amounts. Nino always said he looked way too thin, even for a model. </p><p>Honestly, it had taken a minor miracle to convince his father to agree to this. Only <em> after </em>the Gorilla had tagged along would he relent. </p><p>Ultimate Mecha Strike 3 was the game of the hour, and even as thunder rolled, metallic fists clanged against each other with the blasts of lasers forming a symphony. Every instrument in the orchestra had been called upon to create a cacophony of noise, the normally quiet Kanté now bursting with song. </p><p>Not all approved, with Nathenial having snuck off to kiss his boyfriend sometime earlier that night. But for the most part? It was a perfect night, and the best part his father wasn’t even here to stop it! </p><p>“Hawk Moth’s surprisingly quiet tonight,” Plagg said in his ear, ghosting by unseen, a spectre of destruction. </p><p>“Don’t even jinx it, Plagg!” Adrien hissed at him.</p><p>“You’d think they’d make use of camembert in more pizzas! It’s the food of the gods, I ought to write in and complain!” Plagg grumbled. “People just don’t understand the majesty that is camembert!”</p><p>Adrien was glad most people didn’t, actually.</p><p>“Also, don’t gnaw on Max’s spare controllers!” he quickly reprimanded the gluttonous Kwami, the cat-like creature having found something new to probably destroy.</p><p>“They taste good!” </p><p>“...yeah, that’s what you said about my toilet paper last week, and you destroyed that too,” Adrien pointed out.</p><p>“Hey, it left me with an empty roll afterwards!” Plagg exclaimed. “Whee!”</p><p>Adrien simply facepalmed. He bet Ladybug’s Kwami wasn’t like this. </p><p> </p><p>-----</p><p> </p><p>Kagami sat in the rain, away from everyone else as she did her meditations. Nobody had noticed her slip away, too focused on themselves. She didn’t mind, she didn’t socialize easily. She had never been a people person. She was on the spectrum, it had never helped her chances of making friends.<br/>
<br/>
She could stand being around so many people for so long, honestly. And the rain always calmed her, it was her ‘stim’ as she’d heard it called. Even while clashing kendo swords, she always had rain on in the background as ambience.</p><p>“You’re going to get your pyjamas wet,” Luka said as he passed her by, setting up his guitar.</p><p>“The storm’s almost over anyways,” Kagami replied, sitting on the edge of the boat. “A pity, really.”</p><p>Alya had always had sharper hearing than anyone else, nobody but Marinette knew why actually. Remnants, traces of the Fox Miraculous' magic. But in any event, she heard it before anyone else ever did. </p><p>Luka’s guitar, the notes wafting down from the deck above and like angels strumming their harps he played soft and sweet. Like waves on a beach, the notes were tranquil but flowing with a charm all their own. </p><p>The rain had stopped long ago, moonlight beginning to filter in through the clouds and into the bowels of the ship through portholes. A white glow filled the room, casting it’s light onto the group of girls even as they made their way to the upper deck.</p><p>From a gentle rainstorm to starry skies, Kagami mused. She’d traded one type of peace for another. </p><p>On the other end of the boat, Luka sat still playing his guitar. Marinette sat down next to him, listening to her boyfriend’s gentle tunes. Melodic music embraced the deck, and wafted into the streets of Paris and slowly but surely the tune became recognizably clear. Marinette’s eyes widened, as it came to her. Her eyes went a little misty, though she soon wiped away the tears as Luka began to sing.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “You would not believe your eyes </em>
</p><p>
  <em> If ten million fireflies </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Lit up the world as I fell asleep </em>
</p><p>
  <em> 'Cause they fill the open air </em>
</p><p>
  <em> And leave teardrops everywhere </em>
</p><p>
  <em> You'd think me rude but I would just stand and stare…” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Another storm, this one of emotion, brewed itself inside Kagami. And then it began to boil over, before it was quickly scattered apart. It was unbecoming of her to act like that. Okay, Kagami would admit it. She was jealous. Adrien knew how to play piano, but she wasn’t sure if he knew how to sing. So, alas, no private concert for her with Adrien serenading her and sweeping her off her feet.</p><p>“Ooooooh, you’re such a lucky girl!” Alya grinned, her best friend resting her head on Luka’s shoulder. “...damn, now I gotta somehow cajole Nino into doing that for me!”</p><p>“He’s not that good…” Lila muttered, going apparently unheard. Well, almost unheard with Kagami kicking her in the shin. If anyone heard the vixen’s little yelp of pain, they spoke nothing of it. Instead, the girls continued to watch and listen.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “A foxtrot above my head </em>
</p><p>
  <em> A sock hop beneath my bed </em>
</p><p>
  <em> A disco ball is just hanging by a thread. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I'd like to make myself believe that planet earth turns slowly </em>
</p><p>
  <em> It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep </em>
</p><p>
  <em> 'Cause everything is never as it seems…” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>The group laid on the deck, watching the stars as the song continued before fading into the dark. There were no fireflies, but there were the stars above, dancing and shining and sparkling.</p><p>They lay on mats, cuddling up to each other again. Rose rested herself on Juleka’s chest as Luka switched to ‘A Little Help From My Friends’. Juleka turned a beet red, hiding herself in her hair as her girlfriend snuggled closer. </p><p>Marinette was already beginning to nod off, her boyfriend’s soft crooning lulling her to sleep. From gentle rains, to the soft strum of the guitar, tonight had been very relaxing and a far cry from a ravaging storm that the forecast had originally predicted. </p><p>Kagami thought it cute actually, and pulled a spare blanket from below deck and draped it over her. </p><p>“Thank you.” Luka mouthed, not wanting to disturb her. Kagami smiled back, before laying on the deck, stars above and slowly slipped into the realms of dreams herself. Rain showers and rumbles of thunder gently greeted her. What a perfect night.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Okay, this one I admit was probably pushing the prompt just a bit. Keyseeker *said* it still worked, but... eh. Maybe it's the writer in me, we're all so self-critical.</p><p>But I liked the idea, it couldn't let me go as soon as I saw *this* fantastic piece of art. Like seriously, this is gorgeous.<br/>https://twitter.com/Yuizawa/status/1305014795008004097</p><p>Okay, this probably could have slotted in under Friends and Family, buuuuuuuuuuuut I like the idea of a night in with friends as the rain patters on the windows outside. Also, Lukanette in my otherwise Marigami story? *faux gasp* The horror! *laughs* But in all seriousness, it just... worked for the chapter, even if I had to break out one of the must cliched romance songs alive.</p><p>Also, yeah I can see Kagami being on the spectrum. She might not be in canon, probably, but I can see it.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Day 8: Free Day AKA Happy Birthday!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Happy Birthday, Ms. Tsurugi! And for your consideration, a Street Racer AU.</p><p>And please, don't go doing this stuff, really I beg of you. It's dangerous! (Also, side note, I *really* should have mentioned this, but Day 7 can be read as Lukadrigaminette or whatever you want to call it. I'm dumb, I derped. Apologies. That's not how I intended it to be read, but if you want to read it as Poly, you're free to! Cheers!)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>A storm came down from the mountains, clouds of smoke in its wake as a bolt of jagged lightning came down from Mount Fuji. The storm came fast and furious, a rumble of thunder following the strike of lightning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Speed. Power. Passion. Maximum performance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Two hands gripped the wheel, tires squealing out in protest as a Jaguar C-X75 came down the mountain roads, practically sideways, headlights lighting the road ahead like demonic eyes. The car carved itself a path through the mountains, 1.6 turbocharger screaming out a song of victory.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The car righted itself for a long straight stretch of road, trees passing by like they were standing still. A metal guardrail separated the road from certain death, and one wrong turn would send you over the edge. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The driver of this animal was forced back in her seat, practically shoved into the fabrics. Music pounded behind her, the bass thumping and the car shaking with sound. The driver slammed her foot firmly to the floor, British muscle barely contained by a metallic shell.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Throwing the car around another corner, smoke rose high into the sky as sparks flew. The car tapped the railing, before taking off in a storm. Below, lights from a town rose up into view like miniature earthbound stars. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not that the driver ever got any real chance to enjoy it, as ahead lay her quarry. A pure black Hellcat in front of her, 700 Horsepower of American performance. It may have been a devil risen from hell, but that wasn’t going to stop Kagami.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Barreling past the driver, known only to the world as Cat Noir, she couldn’t help but toss him a little smirk. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kagami was one of those people who lived life on the edge. That meant racing between the lights, and outrunning the cops before barreling down a mountainside on nights like tonight. Probably sideways. She was often redlining the engine, taking it to the ragged edge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Some called her crazy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That meant she called them crazy right back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This was fun! One day she could be in a Nissan Silvia, (Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive) and the next night, she’d be in her Jaguar. (Rear mid-engine, all-wheel drive) She loved the looks of envy she got racing such a rare gem, engine screaming out a siren song of joy. Or despair, depending on who you asked, and how far behind her taillights you were. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Speaking of engines, two more echoed from behind her. Ah, she’d wondered where they were. The Monkey and the Fox! Checking her rear-view, her eyes widened at how close her two fiercest rivals actually were. One was in a heavily modified Porsche 964, porcelain white. The other, an equally modified French-borne Venturi Atlantique.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of cars and modifications, and God only knew how many hours of blood sweat and toil all on one road.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And they all wanted her crown. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Drifting down another corner, signs flashing her by, her exhaust burst out flames like a dragon’s maw. Then came the Fox, a fierce fiery woman by all accounts, and apparently hailing from Saint-Pierre. The dark green form of her Atlantique pulled alongside her, before with a burst of speed sailed on by. Kagami’s eyes narrowed as she spotted the little fox used as a bumper sticker, tongue stuck out in mocking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cat Noir nipped at her heels, the Hellcat’s eyes’ glowing a fierce green. Sparks flew as he slammed into her bumper, and there came the crunch of metal. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two stayed neck and neck for the next few minutes, changing places every so often. And then from out of nowhere, came the Monkey, striking red rims visible in the gloom. The engines wailed in song and in harmony as all four drivers rushed through a tunnel and then out the other side of it, crossing over a bridge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Below them, jagged rocks and a deep dip. One wrong move, and they'd be over the side, plummeting nose first into a fiery end.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tires squealing, all four cars turned in unison drifting down another corner and into a tree-lined straight. Leaves fell all around them, strange eyes peering out of the woodland. Ancient beasts supposedly walked these woods, remnants of a time long since forgotten. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, the only beasts Kagami was actually worried about were the three surrounding her. Slamming a foot on the accelerator, she floored it and poured on the power. She knew the route well enough, she’d raced here before. Another turn, a right-hander. Then another, wavering to the left. And then another, going back to the right before another straight that rushed alongside the river. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The normally calm and tranquil waters were </span>
  <em>
    <span>very </span>
  </em>
  <span>quickly disrupted by the sounds of storming engines. First came the Monkey, whizzing by and then the Fox afterwards. The Cat and the Dragon all fought for position, the Dragon grinding the Cat up against the guardrails with plenty of sparks flying. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The fence was threatening to snap, and the Cat was threatening to be plunged into the river. This could not stand, cats hated the water! Then, he got an idea. He let off the power, before falling behind the Dragon. And then, he struck like lightning surging ahead with a burst of speed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now, Cat Noir, it must be said, was often considered the greatest street racer in the world. He’d never lost a duel, not once. He employed innovative tricks, such as something he’d done at the start of the race.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’d slipped into an inertial drift on the first left-hander, using the countersteer from the first right just a few seconds before allowing him to claim first place very early in the race. Like a demon he drove, seemingly without fear and leaving chaos in his wake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And suddenly, he’d vanished from sight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Fox’s eyes widened, as she’d overtaken </span>
  <em>
    <span>the Cat Noir </span>
  </em>
  <span>and now suddenly he was gone. And then, she heard the roar. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Like a furious flame, he was upon her and then he was gone, passing the Monkey as well. She’d realized what had happened, he’d shut off all of his lights and with his opponents appropriately freaked? Seized his chance, and perhaps his victory as well!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then came the howling whine that was the C-X75, crimson red rushing out of the darkness. The hybrid surged forth, electricity crackling underneath it’s hood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cat’s crazy!” Kagami muttered to herself, regaining the distance she’d lost and little by little she began closing the gap. “Turning off all of his lights, he could have gotten himself killed! Forget being the best street racer, he’s certainly the craziest!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eurobeat thrummed in the speakers as tires squealed, the Jaguar slingshotting past Cat’s Hellcat smoke in its wake. Her taillights were the only thing her rival saw before she rocketed away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But she didn’t have much room to breathe, as here came the Cat coming up from behind and soon he was darting past. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They rounded another bend, rocketing past some houses with both the Fox and the Monkey left far behind. The two massive bodies collided, paint scraped off as the twin jungle cats ground up against each other before breaking away to rocket down another straight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Cat took the lead, his tail lights left in the Dragon’s wake.  His Hellcat snorting flame like a proper demon, he thundered down towards the finish line. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kagami tried to find room to pass, but each and every time, the Cat maneuvered in front of her. Like black lightning, he was upon her every time and his tires scorched the road. Snapping and snarling at his heels, Kagami tried time and again to get past him only to fail.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then Cat Noir pulled away and left only dust in his wake. The finish line came up fast, and he was across it on wheels of fire. The crowd roared as Cat pulled to a halt, with the slayed dragon limping across the line in second place. The Fox and the Monkey arrived a few minutes later.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wore a mask across his face, like a phantom thief. Fittingly really, given he’d stolen victory out from under Kagami!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You take risks, too many risks,” Kagami said striding up to him, putting on a proud face even in the face of certain defeat. “Turning off all of your lights like that? If you were even the slightest bit unlucky, you’d be through a tree, into a lake or flying off the mountainside!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t need luck,” Cat said. “I practiced this course ten to twenty times before the actual race. Each night, I learned every nook and cranny. To put it simply, I prepared. Now pay up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kagami knew the price of a loss. The winner got the loser’s car. Her beloved Jaguar, gone in a flash. She’d won it from someone else, and now the cycle repeated with Cat Noir taking it from her!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Treat her well, okay?” Kagami said, eyes narrowed. “If I hear you’ve crashed her, I’ll be back for you!”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Oooooh, you’ve got the fire just like a real dragon!” Cat teased. “You can win her back, you know, in a few nights I’ll be in Hokkaido for another race. You want a piece of the action? I wouldn’t suggest </span>
  <em>
    <span>dragon </span>
  </em>
  <span>your feet for an answer! Because this race, it’ll basically be the Fast and the Fieryous! A fireocious battle for-”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Okay, just… just stop okay?” Kagami groaned at the terrible puns, feeling a headache coming on.  Her opinion of the infamous Cat Noir had been ruined in just under a minute with a few sentences. “...like, those puns are so painful I want to run you over with one of my remaining cars.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cat grinned impishly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...Hey, great puns are wasted if there’s nobody around to hear them!” he said, still grinning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I’m going to have to tell you this upfront, those puns are </span>
  <em>
    <span>terrible.</span>
  </em>
  <span> They’re the lowest form of humor, and you making them is hardly improving my opinion of them,” Kagami deadpanned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ve </span>
  <em>
    <span>cat</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>kitten</span>
  </em>
  <span> me! I had a gut </span>
  <em>
    <span>feline</span>
  </em>
  <span> that those would make even </span>
  <em>
    <span>you </span>
  </em>
  <span>laugh!” Cat Noir said before sighing. “But I suppose I’m not surprised, your Ice-Queen attitude is pretty well known by this point. Honestly! You’re driving fast cars, and beating everyone, well almost everyone who challenges you. Would it kill you to smile, just a bit?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s hard to smile when I’ve been defeated, even if it was fair and square.” Kagami pointed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh well, like I said, you can challenge me to a rematch in just a few nights!” Cat Noir said before giving her a sympathetic smile. Not that Kagami wanted it, given he was so </span>
  <em>
    <span>annoying! </span>
  </em>
  <span>“But </span>
  <em>
    <span>cat </span>
  </em>
  <span>yourself some slack, okay? You came closer than anyone else, like you gave me quite the challenge! I was seriously uncom-fur-table a few times, like you’re good! I can see why you’re the Queen of the Streets!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d take the compliments, but you ruined it with your stupid puns,” Kagami drawled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My ex-girlfriend thought they were pretty good!” Cat replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, or they were so bad she dumped you just for that!” Kagami fired back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t kiss and tail,” Cat said, that in-fur-iarting impish grin back on his face. Great, now he had her doing it! “But in any event, I must be off! I’ve got a race to prep for, maybe you’ll beat me and win your car back or maybe you won’t. Only time will tail!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And with that, he stray cat strutted off into the night, climbing into his Hellcat and drove off into the dark. One of his pit crew took his but hopefully not </span>
  <em>
    <span>fur </span>
  </em>
  <span>long Jaguar, following after. Damn it, another stupid pun!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She really hated him, she really did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But hatred or not, she had to beat him and get her car back. And so, a few nights later, she found herself in Hokkaido. She’d practiced and memorized the track as much as she could, and in her chariot she pulled up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Clad in blue, the Subaru Impreza was the world’s most famous rally car outside the Audi Quattro and the Mini Cooper. Given she was storming through the mountains, she’d need it’s help. Like a sword, she’d cut through the turns and dethrone Cat Noir’s reign.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was time to duel!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Like a bullet from a gun she was off, chasing after the Cat’s Skyline. Her honor as a racer was on the line and she would not go down without a fight. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kagami remembered that a Nissan Skyline had been famously used in the Fast and the Furious series, and she wondered if Cat knew. She suspected he probably did, she wouldn’t even be remotely surprised if he was using it just for that given how much of a dork he was!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gliding through a turn, she nipped at the Skyline’s heels before passing him. Having All Wheel Drive did </span>
  <em>
    <span>wonders </span>
  </em>
  <span>for the grip really! Her ‘98 struck at the ‘99, too fast and too furious for him to react (Heh!) and slammed him into the side rail before taking off. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two fought for dominance, racing up the mountainside with engines howling. Kagami jerked the wheel, drifting around a corner before putting her foot on the gas and climbing higher. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thrown back in her seat by the sheer power under the hood, she gripped the wheel as she wound around several sharp turns. It was like 180 degree turns, one after the other! Behind her was the Cat, squirreling his way around corners with lots of tire smoke. Like the Hellcat from before, his Skyline was black as night. </span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>That’s probably why his lights off technique worked as well as it did, you’d never see him creeping up from behind. Forget roaring like a lion, he crept up like a panther!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was about then Kagami realized she’d actually lost sight of her rival, and a sinking, churning feeling crept into her gut as it slowly dawned on her. Flooring it, she climbed higher, exhaust spewing flames before she threw herself around another corner tires squealing in protest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Smoke clouded her vision, but the satnav still worked and she saw the corners coming and prepared herself. Sliding out of the smoke cloud, as soon as she hugged the straights again she floored it. </span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>And then from out of nowhere, Cat Noir surged past her going faster than she’d ever seen him. His green lights cut through the gloom, burning like hellish lanterns as he took her on. Kagami swore. Nitrous! Of course, the little cheat! </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kagami took another route, one that was shorter and soon she was on a bridge above Cat Noir’s car. Seeing his Skyline’s tail lights, she rounded another corner opting to take it normally instead of the flashy drifting from before. It was a proper battle now and she was in it to win it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seemingly coming out of nowhere to him, Kagami thoroughly enjoyed the frustrated look on his face. Leaving him behind, she rounded another corner and heard the squeal of tires again. Here came Cat Noir.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, wouldn’t it be a catastrophe if you lost now?” Cat sneered, rolling down his windows.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So far as I can see, I’m winning!” Kagami said. “So don’t get cocky, now…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I could say the same for you!” Cat called back before engaging his nitrous and flying ahead of her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But he wasn’t the only one who could play dirty, as Kagami had wisely prepared for something like this. She so enjoyed the look of shock Cat sported as he saw </span>
  <em>
    <span>her </span>
  </em>
  <span>rocket by on nitrous.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rounding another bend, she fought Cat off. Whenever he tried to go in for a pass, she blocked his path. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Et tu, brute!” she snorted, remembering when he’d done the same to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Going into another drift, she slide sideways down the straight continuing to block his path. But then Cat got wise, and did the same before he surged ahead again on more nitrous. But all good things had to come to an end and soon his speed left him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And Kagami passed him on by, gold rims illuminated in the moonlight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two went across another bridge, a long and winding river below them. If it wasn’t a race for Kagami’s honor, she might have stopped and enjoyed the beauty before her. Another time, alas.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The finish line was getting closer and closer, and the two were neck and neck by now. Kagami slammed into Cat, trying to knock him back but Cat dropped back intentionally. She knew what was coming, and swerved in front of him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not this time, Cat!” she declared.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Like a samurai’s sword, she sliced up the road in front of her and so the finish closed in. It was marked by a scantily-dressed girl waving a checkered flag, and red smoke rising into the night. To uproarious cheers, she crossed it before going into a slide stopping just before she slammed into her beloved Jaguar. Because there it had been sitting at the end of the track, the grand prize!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stepping out of the car, she watched as Cat pulled up. She could see the look on his face from here.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I guess that’s that. You beat me, </span>
  <em>
    <span>mon dragon divin</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Cat bowed before tossing the keys back to her. She felt them in her hands, running a finger over the logo. “Here you go. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ce qui était autrefois le vôtre, vous appartient à nouveau.</span>
  </em>
  <span> I suppose my Skyline is now yours as well, really…”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>He looked like someone had killed his kitten, honestly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, keep it!” Kagami refuted. “You were a good opponent!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But the rules of the street say…” Cat tried to argue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Forget the rules for once, I have what I came for,” Kagami replied, putting the keys in her pocket. “Besides, I think I’ve won something even better!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And what’s that?” Cat asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A worthy rival!” Kagami smirked before leaning in and kissing him. “And </span>
  <em>
    <span>that </span>
  </em>
  <span>is what you win if you beat me again…”</span>
  <span></span><br/>
<span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Meow!”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Okay, so this wasn't what I originally planned to do for today, the original idea involved a dragon and a sick Kagami.</p><p>But at the time it was written, I'd been playing a little too much Horizon 4 so... this came out of my arguably strange mind. Few things to note, one Kim's car was inspired by this monstrosity.<br/>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_aJkyV-5xI</p><p>The courses? Inspired by Grid and Forza Motorsport's tracks. Namely, Mizu Mountain and Fujimi Kaido as shown below.<br/>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1rZgWFEQWQ<br/>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVe589gXdHw</p><p>Now, admittidly, there is no way in hell Kagami could have gotten her hands on a Jaguar C-X75 as it never really made production despite what Spectre will argue, but... acceptable breaks from reality for rule of cool. (Also, obviously, I don't own the rights to any of these cars so again, please don't sue me!)</p><p>Also, huge thanks to Keyseeker throughout this whole enterprise, like she's been overwhelmingly supportive! And thank you all for coming with me on this journey, like love you all. You've been so welcoming, and huge thanks to the Miraculous Fanworks discord for all their help!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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